| “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God … shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:6-9). |
| Back in early March we have already looked at verse eight, and seen how God would have us keep our minds occupied with good things instead of bad things. However, there is something special before this verse, and also after it. |
| In verses six and seven, we are told not to be anxious about things that are not going very well for us, but rather to go to the Lord in prayer about them. We are first of all to accept our circumstances from the Lord, but then to go to Him with our difficulties. When we do this, it does not say that suddenly the Lord will take away all of our problems. No, for the Lord often has something for us to learn through these problems. But the Apostle Paul does say that the “peace of God” will keep our hearts and minds. The word used here for “keep” really means “to guard,” as if there were guards over our hearts and minds, keeping them from being anxious and upset. It is wonderful to have this peace, and it comes from our accepting our problems from the Lord, and then going to Him in prayer about them. |
| But then we have verse eight, which tells us what we should be doing with our hearts and minds. We can think anxious thoughts, or angry thoughts, but look at those six words in verse eight — true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report; these are the kinds of things that should be in our hearts and minds. Instead of anxious and worried thoughts, God wants us to have good thoughts like these. The Apostle Paul was a good example of all this in his life, and he had taught this to the Christians in Philippi. But then, if they did these things, something wonderful would happen. |
| Not only would they have the “peace of God,” but Paul said to them, “The God of peace shall be with you.” It is a wonderful thing to have the peace of God, but even more wonderful to have God Himself with us. Sometimes we have to do difficult things in our lives, and it means a lot to us to have someone with us whose company we enjoy. That is what the Lord promises to us. But we will enjoy His company only if we do the things mentioned in verse eight. We cannot think evil thoughts, or even anxious thoughts, and enjoy the Lord’s company. |
| It is important for each of us to turn our minds to good thoughts instead of fearful or nervous thoughts. To enjoy the Lord’s company is worth it! |
