One of my goals in life recently has been to become more calm and level-headed in all situations. I am trying not to let small things annoy me or excite me. I have always admired those individuals who can go through life seemingly without fear or anxiety, taking whatever life throws at them in stride. It is what we are called to do. It is an example of being patient in affliction.
In this letter to the church at Philippi what is encouraged in verse 4? What is encouraged in verse 5? Why? Instead of anxiety, what is encouraged? What is the result?
The first verse of today’s reading fits with the concept of being joyful in hope. We are to rejoice in the Lord at all times. We are to know that God is Lord of all, and with that confidence we should be able to celebrate all that we are experiencing.
But we are also encouraged to be patient in our afflictions. We are to remain steady in troubled times. Knowing that the Lord is near should give us such a firm faith that we can be gentle in all that we do, not desperate and anxious.
We are not called to sleep-walk through life oblivious to what is going on. We are not expected to be unaffected by the loss of a loved one. But we should be able to overcome the worries and stress of uncertainty, and we should be able to cling to hope in our sorrows.
If we are truly Christians, if we truly believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that the Lord is our God, then we should be able to exhibit that faith in how we live our lives. There is no need to be worried about our economy or our government. There is no need to be worried about eternity and our own mortality.
Being a Christian means having a firm faith in the teachings of Christ and the promises of God. With that firm faith should come the confidence that allows us to be patient with what is going on. We can patiently wait for things to get better. We can patiently wait for God to work through new leadership. And we can patiently wait for the eternal reward Christ has assured us.
By patiently trusting that God is in control, no matter how uncertain life can be, we can find the peace of God which will guard our hearts and minds.
DAILY CHALLENGE: What can you do to relieve anxiety?
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