Recently I heard Francis Chan speak on Philippians 4:4-9 and really every study these past few weeks has miraculously centered on these verses—and I have been convicted to the practice of implementing these verses in my life! This is how they read:
“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Italics, mine)
Now these are verses that we’ve heard since…forever! There are songs about that first verse, and the others are “good” memory verses. But how often do we take these as commands? How often do we take these verses as blessings that God allows us to partake in?!? Christ has given us the freedom in trusting God with our future to have a joy that no circumstance can take away. This really is what everything boils down to as the Spirit has been teaching me: trust. In Jeremiah 17:5-8, we even see curses and blessings from the Lord pronounced:
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’” When we do not trust in God, we trust in man (ourselves or others) and know worry and fear well. Without trust, we do not let the Spirit guide our steps. Without trust, we worry about what life will bring. Without trust, we have no room for peace and no occasion for true, lasting joy.
Rejoicing in the Lord comes when we trust God enough with our earthly livelihood that we can focus on the Love of our life: Christ! No matter the circumstances I should be blown away that I am in love with my Creator and even better yet, my Creator loves me! He is my Bridegroom and the wedding banquet is coming soon…what better call for celebration! And as I meditate on the character of God—Father, Son, Spirit—I am filled more and more with awe for him and feel blessed to be his servant. This is what the rest of the world doesn’t have and so desperately desires: joy, satisfaction and peace. And yet so often, the church, the bride of Christ, feels like this state of peace, joy and stress-less-ness is impossible. Not only impossible, but even undesirable to the point that we don’t even think that anxiousness or stress is a sin. It has become so normal for everyone that we can look at these verses and think, “oh wouldn’t that be nice” and completely disregard the promises of God!
What wouldn’t draw non-believers to Christ faster than if the body of Christ would actually live out these verses? We do have something the whole world wants and needs—and yet it seems we don’t even believe it. Many are caught up in worry, in restlessness, anxiousness and what does this reveal in us but a disbelief in our Lord and Savior. Really, what does it gain? Jesus says—no commands—us in Matthew 6 to not be anxious! God knows what you need to serve him and bring him glory. He even says, “For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matt 6:32) Everyone else worries and strives after their day-to-day provisions. What can man do through worry? In fact, what can man even do through all his labors? For without the Lord, our lives are futile and fruitless. Solomon, the wisest of wise, states in Psalms 127:1-2, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.” Rest in the Father and the security that comes in trusting the Lord, he will take care of you—even if circumstances speak otherwise. Paul and Silas sang psalms in prison, for they trusted in the Lord and in his will. Stephen trusted in the Lord and still was stoned to death. In the eyes of the world, it may not always be flowing with milk and honey, but the Lord is ever drawing us to himself and will provide peace and joy throughout—for when we trust in the Lord and rejoice in him, his presence is all we need for contentment.
Instead of fixing our eyes on our life and its uncertainties, Jesus goes on to say in Matthew, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt 6:33) Look to God, grow your character, serve him and build up treasures in heaven and rest in the love of the Lord. Give everything up to God thankfully in prayer and supplication. Hallelujah, he has taken our worries! He knows of our tomorrow and will be with us still! Glory be to our Father. Now we can go on thinking of other things that are pure, honorable, praiseworthy.
Chan mentioned something that has stuck with me from his sermon on this passage. He said that whatever we think on, dwell on, meditate on or are consumed with, we consider it praiseworthy. We are praising those thoughts good or bad because they are worthy enough in our mind to think about. Otherwise we wouldn’t be thinking about them. So, are our worries praiseworthy? Not a chance…especially not compared to our God! So instead of worrying about today, tomorrow, a year from now let us set our eyes and hearts and minds on the kingdom of God, his righteousness, above on heavenly things (Col 3:1-4). He is worthy of our praise and our thoughts and meditations.
So, where are our thoughts? Are they leading us to anxiousness or to peace? Are they worrying about tomorrow or rejoicing in serving and loving our Lord? Are they keeping us stuck in pursuits of this earth or are they directing us toward our eternal dwelling in heaven?
Why not embrace the freedom God grants us and rejoice! Praise God for the promise of peace.
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