Passage
Philippians 4: 4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Questions & Commentary
This passage has been a saving and comforting message for me throughout many hardships, struggles, and times of worry. Verse four speaks about praising God in every situation and letting the world see our love for Him. Verse six articulates the comfort that Christians find in God when we trust in Him. It is about trusting God with the good things in life, but also with our baggage, issues, problems, little life struggles, and big life events. This passage is about remembering to deal with our worries by giving them up to God, because He is the only One who can take your worries away, your eyes off yourself, and help you through everything. And He will guard your heart through the process and never bring you to anything that you cannot conquer (verse 7).
1. Read verse 6 again. Are there things or situations in your life that you are holding onto and worrying about? Take a moment and pray about them, wholly giving them to God and resting in the truth that He will guide and protect you.
2. Verses 8 and 9 are commands from God to have pure, lovely, and admirable thoughts, and to put into action what you have learned from Him. What is the significance of the placement of these verses, as they come directly after the command to not be anxious in anything?
3. Notice that these verses are commands, and not suggestions or advice. Why does God command this? Does He command us to do things out of protection or out of spite? Where do you struggle with following God’s commands the most?
This passage, overall, commands Christians to trust God and not to worry about life because He is always with us, guiding us towards Him on the path that He has laid out for us. Take comfort in this fact and rely fully on God in everything, and praise Him for the blessings that He gives you and for His faithfulness.
Devotional Author: Laura Watkins