Philippians 4:12-13 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Have you read Philippians? Oh my goodness it is chock full of some amazing verses about joy and peace and perseverance. It is only 4 short chapters and fills up just 12 pages in my study Bible but it sooo good. Paul was in prison in Rome when he wrote this letter to the church that he started in Philippi. Did you read that…Paul was IN PRISON and his letter was about joy and peace and perseverance?
Clearly Paul’s joy does not come from his outward circumstances but from his inward strength. Strength that he gets from being filled with the Holy Spirit and having a relationship with Christ. In fact, Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all THIS through him who gives me strength.” That doesn’t mean God will give him supernatural strength to escape from prison or single handedly conquer the Romans or even convince the prison guards to let him go. It means with or without earthly things, Paul will have the strength to do THIS. And what is THIS you ask? It is to persevere in his mission to spread the good news of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
You may not be in prison like Paul, but it is super easy to be discouraged about your circumstances or to take unimportant events too seriously. Would you like to worry less like Paul? Would you like to have strength like Paul? I’ve got the answer for you. Pray more. Worship more. I saw a meme that my dad posted this week on social media, and it made the answer so clear to me. It said:
Worship can get you through
the roughest times in your life
because it shifts your focus
from the problem
to the problem solver.
True peace comes from knowing God is in control. When you believe that, I mean truly believe that God has a plan and is in control, it will guard your mind from worry and anxiety. Like Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I know, easy to say but hard to do. So, I encourage you to give it a try this week. Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray, worship, and read (or reread) Philippians. Search for the nuggets of joy, peace, and perseverance that Paul is sharing in this letter and imagine it was written specifically for you. Your week will be so much better for it. It was for me, for today I have joy.
Lord God, thank you for the words you gave us through your servant Paul. Words that are meant to guide us to a strong personal relationship with you. Keep my eyes focused on the strength that you give me and not my earthly circumstances. Amen