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Please read: Philippians 4:4-8
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard … your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:7
It is said that the mind is a battlefield, a place where battles take place, and it’s true. Here we are exhorted not to worry or be anxious:
Do not be anxious about anything.
Phil 4:6
cf. Jesus’ teaching:
“… do not worry about your life”.
Matt. 6:25
We all worry at various times; so how do we not worry or not be anxious? Just taking the immediate context of our text we can find many valuable aids to help us not to be anxious!
(1) “Do not worry or be anxious” – rejoice in the Lord!
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!”
Phil 4:4
Rejoicing, praising, worshipping the Lord is absolutely vital for a healthy spiritual life. Paul exhorts us to rejoice always, emphasising how important it is. How different our days would be if we did this!
When we are rejoicing in the Lord, we are taken up as it were, to heavenly places in Christ Jesus and we begin to get God’s perspective on life and especially those things that have been causing us anxiety. This doesn’t happen naturally and we have to, at times, discipline ourselves to worship, praise and rejoice in Him, so that it does become, more and more, a natural part of our lives, especially during difficult times. I sometimes look back at dark times in my life when I was prone to be anxious about certain things and think, how different it could have been had I just rejoiced in the Lord instead of worrying so much for at the end of it all the Lord brought me through wonderfully, anyway.
Jesus asked the question,
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
Matt. 6:27
And the answer is definitely “No!”
(2) “Do not worry or be anxious” – be gentle
Paul then teaches,
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Phil. 4:5
As we obey Him and relate to others with gentleness, the Lord, who Himself is gentle and humble of heart (Matt. 11:28-30), will be near, even making His home within (John 14:23). Such will definitely help our mental health.
(3) “Do not worry or be anxious” – take it to the Lord in prayer
Instead of worrying we should, as we sing in the well-known hymn, take it to the Lord in prayer,
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Phil. 4:6
Again, it is so important to do so in a spirit of thanksgiving. As we do so then it is assured that,
The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard … your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil. 4:7
Amen.
Quote of the week
“Worry implies that we don’t quite trust God is big enough”
Francis Chan
Verse of the week
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:1
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, forgive us when we worry and are anxious, when we think that you are not able to deal with the problem we have. Prompt and empower us to bring all our concerns to You, even with thanksgiving, and to rejoice in You always in Jesus Christ, Amen!