Dear Sisters,
Today has been the first time since I began this ministry that I have really struggled with what I wanted to write. I guess they call it “Writer’s Block”. Finally, tonight after dinner, I took my Bible out on the front porch and began to “visit” some of my favorite books. I have always loved Philippians. I stared with Chapter 1. As I came to Chapter 4, verses 4-8, something inside of me said, “This is it”, and the words began to come.
Recently, I was part of a conversation about faith. We were talking about issues in our personal lives and issues currently going on in the world around us. Someone said, “Do you trust God enough that no matter how things turn out you are good with it?”
That’s a hard question to answer. My mind races through countless scenarios, many of which I have no control over. Do I trust God enough to give each one to Him and then step back and say, “Your will be done. Whatever happens, I will continue to walk beside You”?
Philippians 4:4 – 8 gives us the reassurance we are looking for when we are facing this kind of situation.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Paul begins in verse 4 by telling us to rejoice. He doesn’t just say it once. He says it twice! He also tells us not just to rejoice but to “rejoice in the Lord.” Rejoice means “to be joyful.” Paul is telling us to be joyful in the Lord. Then he says that when we do this our “gentleness will be evident to all.” I wonder if that means that when my joy is in the Lord, then it frees me to relax and respond in a gentle way to whatever life brings my way?
I love what Paul says next: “The Lord is near.” Our joy comes from knowing that God is always near us. He never walks away. He never abandons us. Whatever we are going through, He is right beside us.
Sweet Sisters, do you see where Paul is going with this? If the Lord never leaves us and our joy is in Him, then we can take everything that we are anxious about and talk to God about it with a spirit of thanksgiving knowing that He will do what is best. Paul promises that when we pray like this, God will fill our hearts with a peace that is beyond our ability to understand and that will protect (guard) our hearts and our minds.
I have a couple of questions. What is this “Peace of God” protecting us from? Do you think that Satan is going to calmly sit back and allow all this to take place? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! He is going to try and distract you in as many ways as is possible! He is going to whisper to you “but what if…” or, “you can’t do that!” He may even use those closest to you to do the “whispering for him.”
That is why in verse 8 Paul says: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
He has already told us to:
1.) put our joy in the Lord.
2.) to let our gentleness be seen by others.
3.) to know that God is near.
4.) to bring everything we are anxious about to God.
Now he tells us to focus on the good. This is so very important in the world we are living in. Everyday it seems like there is something new that we should be afraid of. We hear it from the media, we hear it from the people around us and sometimes we even hear it from our brothers and sisters in the church. STAY FOCUSED on the good! In every situation, look for the good.
I would like to make a comment here about focusing on what is true. “True” here means – absolute, real, authentic. Just because something is true does not mean it is good. The point here is not to get distracted by “illusions of truth.”
Years ago there was a TV show called Dragnet. One of the characters in the show was Sergeant Friday. He used to say whenever he was interviewing someone, “Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts.” If you aren’t sure if something is true, ask God to show you.
Sweet Sisters, in times of conflict and chaos, if you find yourself longing for reassurance and joy in your life, then I would suggest you ask the Lord to “take this out of our hands” and find peace in knowing that whatever happens, you are good with it.
Debbie