Quick: How many things can you think of that rob you of peace and cause you to worry? I’ll give you a minute to think about it.
If you’re like most, you quickly run out of fingers and toes thinking of all the worrisome thoughts that make you anxious. Kids (whether minors or adults), aging parents, job security, marital strife, money woes, pending home repairs, Friday afternoon rush hour, the car’s transmission making that funny noise: all these compound our concern. Not to mention national politics, tensions overseas, new strains of disease, fluctuating economic markets, people who say “supposably” when they mean “supposedly” … all these amp up our anxiety and wind up our worry-ometer.
Paul addresses our apprehensions in the letter he wrote to the church at Philippi. And his words carry added weight when we realize that he wrote them from a jail cell in Rome. Imprisoned for sharing the Gospel, this letter that emphasizes our joy and peace in the Lord speaks to us today nearly 2,000 years later.
In particular, Philippians 4:4-9 seems to outline a path to peace in the midst of, and in spite of, the worrisome world about us. If you follow these guidelines, “you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (v. 7). And “the God of peace will be with you” (v. 9).
Let’s take a look at these eight paths to peace.
ONE Be joyful: “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (v. 4). So, right off the bat, we have what seems to be an impossible command. How can we just turn on the joy when the happys just aren’t there? On the one hand, we shouldn’t ignore all those nonjoyful emotions—that’s where serious emotional problems can fester. But the research is interesting: Smiling helps boost your mood, increase happiness, and lower stress—even if you’re faking it. The next time you find your mood sinking, smile—and dwell on our amazing God and His attributes. And you’ll find peace in your heart.
TWO Be considerate: “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do” (v. 5). In the hustle and bustle of life, it’s easy to start getting short with others. We start focusing on ourselves, our needs, our wants, what we think we deserve. Turn that focus around and concentrate on the other person, their needs, their wants. And don’t forget to smile, which is contagious. I’ve found that when I take an interest in those around me and smile, it improves their mood and mine. To me, that’s what it means to be considerate.
THREE Remember the Lord’s return: “Remember, the Lord is coming soon” (v. 5). The older I get, the faster time seems to fly. Wait, it’s Friday already? Wait, it’s almost May? Wait, it’s been how long since “Gangnam Style” was a thing? The days/weeks/months all run together. In the midst of this, we hear a command: Remember. Specifically, remember that the Lord is coming soon. Of course, we don’t know when. Could be in 100 years. But it could be tomorrow. It’s a reminder of our heavenly reward awaiting us.
FOUR Replace worry with prayer: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” (v. 6). Someone once said that worry and prayer are two sides of the same coin; worry is anti-prayer. Max Lucado says, “No one can pray and worry at the same time.” Prayer has the ability to neutralize worry because we are putting our concerns in God’s hands. The problem is that we tend to take it right back from His hands after we pray! Thus, we need more prayer.
FIVE Tell God your needs: “Tell God what you need …” (v. 6). Does God already know what we need? Of course. But there is healing and peace that comes when we tell Him and ask Him.
SIX Be thankful: “… thank him for all he has done” (v. 6). There are a multitude of studies that show that gratitude improves our lives in many ways, including our health, our careers, and our social lives. The benefits of thankfulness are so well documented that many people recommend being intentional about writing down in a journal three positive things to be thankful for each evening. And for the Christian, we know the One we can extend our thanks to.
SEVEN Be careful what you think about: “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (v. 8). The old maxim of garbage in, garbage out really is true. Or put another way: “Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny” (source). I find that when I let too much negative or harmful talk into my head, whether from radio, tv, friends, etc., my thoughts get cloudy with a chance of depression. Peace comes from refocusing on the good, especially Scripture.
EIGHT Apply what you’ve learned: “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing” (v. 9). Knowledge without application is useless. Gaining more spiritual knowledge without putting it into practice is a recipe for misery. There is a peace that comes when we know we’ve been obedient to what God is showing us through His Word and His people. “Obedience is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (James 4:17).
Try one or more of these in the next few days and let me know if it helps to maintain your peace in a whirl of worry.