Philippians 4:4-7 NIV Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 MSG Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Observation
Paul wrote these words as a prisoner, unsure of the outcome (v 2:17). He considered every place in which he found himself as God’s current assignment and every challenge or circumstance as an opportunity to be a witness for Jesus. The intensity of his focus on serving, sharing and celebrating the Gospel caused the challenges and circumstances of the world to become just the road on which he traveled while walking with and serving the Lord. I am sure there was great temptation to turn his eyes down on the road when things got rocky, steep, or slippery, but he chose to keep his eyes off the road and on his traveling companion instead, celebrating and singing as he looked to Jesus for stability, provision and peace (“a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good”) on the journey. His soul was so securely rooted in God’s promises that he could withstand and overcome all the world or the Enemy could throw at him. Joy and peace resided with him wherever he went and in whatever circumstance he found himself.
Impact on Me
Challenges and circumstances are difficult to put in proper perspective while they are buffeting us. They make themselves so insistent, so visible and so urgent to our senses, triggering our emotions, old wounds and fears. We may feel surrounded and besieged. At the beginning of my journey, they were much more tangible, louder and larger, than the intangible promises voiced by an invisible God. My performance-based mind could become over-heated with reviewing scenarios and solutions – what might happen, how can I fix this, what can I do to prevent disaster or loss, why does this have to keep cropping up, how much is this going to hurt, and so on. How I responded to challenges and circumstances depended on the decisions made by my soul. As I journeyed with Jesus, through the experience of His presence, my soul became increasingly less conditioned to respond according to the flesh/world. I learned to lean on and look to Jesus for direction, protection and strength rather than depending solely on my human abilities and what I deemed possible.
If our souls are conditioned to respond according to the Word and the Holy Spirit, then, like Paul, we can celebrate each moment, watching for opportunities to bless and encourage others, trusting that Jesus will take care of all we need on the road ahead. We, too, can have that peace (a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good) regardless of the conditions on the road we travel. So, the choice is ours. I have found that when I stop and lift my eyes off the current challenge or circumstance, I always find Jesus reminding me of His love, grace, care and provision, offering me His peace and joy in place of my fear, doubt and failures.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I pray that You will help me keep my eyes on You and my ears tuned to Your voice alone on this current stretch of rocky road. The way can often be dark, stormy and frightening, but, as long as You go with me, I can rejoice and encourage others to join us on the way, finding that “sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good”. Help me to find those along the road I travel who are lost, frightened, hopeless and weary, full of fear and doubt, and introduce them to You, inviting them to join us and become Your disciples. May they see the joy and peace I have because of You in and with me so that they will become hungry to know You and find the same. Make it so. Amen.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 