Delight yourselves in the Lord, yes, find your joy in Him…Never forget the nearness of your Lord. Don’t worry over anything whatever. Whenever you pray, tell God every detail of your needs in thankful prayer, and the peace of God that surpasses human understanding will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus…Fix your minds on whatever is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely and admirable…and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-7, 8-9
In these few verses, Paul shifts the paradigm of expectations, or perhaps, better stated, he creates a new paradigm. He begins by reminding the Philippians that God is the source of their joy. The enemy of their joy was worry because worry evolves from a lack of trust – trust in a situation, trust in stability, trust in outcome. We, too, have these issues. We live in a world that is threatening, where the unexpected can and does erupt and destroy. The world tells us to find our joy in possessions and in power. Enticement of human approval and praise takes control and the end result, at best, is temporary and self-satisfying.
In Paul’s letter, we are called to a higher level of understanding. Our trust lies in the nearness of God, in His everlasting presence. It is the only assurance we have for true peace. Paul reminds us – never forget the nearness of your God. It is in that remembrance that we receive the power to weather the storms which come into our lives. It is in that security that we pray to God, giving him every detail of our needs. And it is in that assurance that our prayers are prayers of thanksgiving.
Our focus, Paul says, must be positive. - what is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely and admirable. The NIV version of the New Testament says “think on these things.” It must be a conscientious decision on our part to focus on those things that produce the promised inner strength. This is not without difficulty, especially in a world that makes admission into a more self- serving and wicked life so tempting and easy. But if our vision is filtered through these characteristics, we are lifted to a higher plain of understanding. We realize that we can deal with the issues of the world without fear because the Lord is near. The illusions that cloud our understanding are clarified and minimalized in the light of goodness and the approval of God. But we are not just to think on these things but to act on them. Truth, honor, justice, and purity should define who we are and how we live. Coupled with continuous prayer, both in petition and in thanksgiving, the strength to achieve will be ours. We are not alone in our battle for survival. And God will give us His peace, a peace that surpasses human understanding. Jesus promised, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” And it is in this assurance, the indwelling of the Spirit, that our fears are laid to rest.
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Thought Questions
1. Why does the peace of God surpass human understanding? How can Christians explain this peace to non-Christians?
2. How can we move from merely “thinking “or focusing on whatever is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely and admirable to having these characteristics permeate our daily walk? How does this impact our relationship with others?
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