Week 45 - November 7th, 2021

Philippians 4:6–7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Context: Paul’s Letter to the Philippians is deeply concerned with the attitude of believers. Although they may experience all manner of trials, Paul urges them to maintain an attitude of joy and humility, trusting God’s purposes and depending on His strength. This passage is immediately preceded by an impassioned command to rejoice in the Lord in all things. These verses now apply that command to everyday life.

Meaning: Paul contrasts anxiety with reliance on God through thanksgiving, prayer and supplication. This is the antidote to anxiety—a reliance on God’s provision rather than a trust in our own means. As we ask God for His continued supply we are to remember all He has already given, helping us trust that He will remain faithful. We do not come before God as beggars simply hoping for table scraps; we come as children, confident that our Father has heard our cry and will bring us His provision.

Life Application: Anxiety is the great thief of joy, but we are told of protection against his threats. Paul tells us that we are guarded by God’s peace. Our mind is like a high tower window, locked both from within and without. When we look to the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving, anxiety is unable to climb the lattice and break in through God's protecting peace. God's protecting peace also prevents us from opening the window of anxiety and plunging to our doom.

For Further Study: We are given a wonderful picture of peace inMark 4:35–41. In the middle of a violent storm that strikes terror into the heart of even the most veteran seaman, we find Our Lord asleep on a cushion. Read this story and consider: What does Jesus’s response to the storm teach us about His power? How can you trust Him in your own life?