I have been preaching since I was sixteen years old, so that means I have been at this for the better part of forty-six years. Out of all my experiences of preaching in many countries and many different settings, I have never had anyone respond to the passage we are going to read today by saying: “Oh, that doesn’t apply to me.” The topic we are going to cover today is one of the most universally relevant subjects to most people on planet earth. I am talking about the problem of worry. We probably live in one of the most anxious periods of time in the history of the world. And we probably also live in one of the most anxious cultures. So, we probably need Paul’s message on this topic here and now more than ever.
Listen for God’s word to you from Philippians 4:4-9…
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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. 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.
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Paul begins this final section of his letter to the Philippians by returning to the main topic of this letter: JOY! Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always!”
This raises the question: how can we rejoice in the Lord always when so many bad things happen in this life and in this world? I think that first we must understand what joy is. Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends upon happenings; it depends upon circumstances. Happiness turns up generally where you would expect it to. You get the job you want and you’re happy. You marry the person you want and you’re happy. You have the children you want, turn out the way you want, and you’re happy. But joy is not like that. Joy is not dependent upon circumstances. It is dependent upon the Holy Spirit because joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit, as we saw in Galatians. Therefore, I believe, we can ask God to give us the gift of joy, and we can choose to be joyful, whereas we cannot simply choose to be happy.
Viktor Frankl was, perhaps, the first person who helped me to see this, through his book, Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl lived through a concentration camp experience during the Holocaust. From that experience he learned that “Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.” Ever since reading Frankl’s book, I have summarized his thought by saying, “We cannot choose what happens to us in life, but we can choose how we respond.”
When I put Frankl’s insights alongside those of the Apostle Paul, I conclude that joy is a choice, and it is a choice we can make, by the power of the Holy Spirit, despite our circumstances. My friend, Tim Hansel, who wrote the book, You Gotta Keep Dancin, put it succinctly: “Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.” Tim knew about pain. He lived in chronic physical pain for over thirty years due to a mountain climbing accident. And yet, I have seldom known anyone more joyful than Tim was.
So yes, I believe we can rejoice in the Lord always. And, Christians, of all people, can afford most to be gentle. In a sense, we don’t have to fight our way through life; we don’t need to be as pushy as some people who do not know Christ. Why? Because we can always trust that the Lord is working out all things for our good. As Paul says in Romans 8:28… “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.”
The Christian, above all people, can rejoice no matter his or her circumstances because he or she knows that “the Lord is near”. The Christian knows that they are never alone. The Lord never abandons his children. As the Lord says in Hebrews 13:5, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.”
I always remind people at funerals, the most important word in Psalm 23 is “through”. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” God always walks with us through the valley of the shadow. He does not dump anyone in the valley to leave them there. He walks with us through the valley and out the other side into the bright sunshine of eternity.
Do not be anxious about anything.
If we learn how to rejoice in the Lord in all circumstances, then the next part of what Paul says is already taken care of. But let’s look at what Paul says anyway. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything.” If we have truly discovered the joy of the Lord, then we will not be anxious. As someone once said, “Worry and a walk with God don’t mix.” Why? Because the joy of the Lord, the presence of the Lord, displaces fear.
Our problem is that, like Peter, we get out on the storm-tossed waters, and we start walking toward the Lord, but then we take our eyes off Jesus, and we look at the waves. That is when we start to worry. If we kept our eyes on Jesus all the time, then we would not worry.
Speaking of Jesus… what does he say about worry? It is easy to look at Paul and say, “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” But we can never say that of Jesus, not if we believe he is the Lord of heaven and earth. Jesus always knows what he is talking about. And what does Jesus say about worry? He says…
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
So, Jesus says we don’t need to be anxious about food. Why? Because our heavenly Father will feed us, just like he feeds the birds of the air.
We don’t need to worry about clothing. Why? Because our heavenly Father will clothe us just as he clothes the grass of the fields with wildflowers.
Jesus says we don’t need to worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. “One day at a time” isn’t just a slogan from Alcoholics Anonymous. The idea originates from Jesus.
Jesus makes it clear that anxiety adds nothing to our lives. Have you ever met an anxious person whose life was better in some way than someone who was calm, cool, and collected? I doubt it. Anxiety does not add anything to our lives that is good, so why engage in it?
Now, I am not saying that I am perfect at this. I certainly am not. I am often anxious. I often take my eyes off Jesus and see only the waves of circumstance.
But sometimes I play a little game with myself, and I ask: “What is the worst thing that can possibly happen in such and such a situation?” Well, usually the worst thing that might happen is that I could die. But then I remind myself that I am a follower of Jesus, so even death is no problem. Death does not have the last word. As Paul says in Philippians 1:21, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Corrie ten Boom was another one who lived through a concentration camp experience during World War II just like Viktor Frankl. Here is what she said about it…
When I was in a concentration camp, I did not know that I would be one of the 20 percent of women who left it alive. I looked death in the eyes. When we touch eternity, we see all things so simply. It was as if I saw the devil who was much stronger than I. But then I saw Jesus, who is much stronger than the devil, and together with Him I am much stronger than the devil. Then fear has to leave.
The bottom line is this: if we put Jesus first in our lives, then he will take care of everything else. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
But pray about everything.
Now, I could end this message right here, but I am not going to do that. Why? Because I know that you are like me. Even though we are followers of Jesus, we do worry. Overcoming worry is a process. So, what are we going to do when worry crops up in our lives? Thankfully, Paul gives us an answer. When we worry, we need to pray. “But in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” This is similar to what Peter says: “Cast all your care upon the Lord, for he cares for you.”
When I find myself worrying sometimes, I try to tease myself out of the mood. I say things to myself like: “Why pray when you can worry?” That’s a good one, isn’t it? Why pray when you can worry? The ridiculousness of that question makes me realize I need to reverse it and ask: Why worry when you can pray? Now that’s a wise question.
Why keep on worrying when you can pray? Praying is so much better, so much more constructive, than worrying. And every time you start praying, worry has to leave.
Paul gives us a three-step plan for prayer. It’s great! He says: (1) Pray, (2) Petition, and (3) Give thanks. The word translated as “prayer” is the general word for prayer in Greek. It means “to pour out your heart”. When you are worried, start by pouring out your heart before the Lord. Tell him what you are worried about.
Then, secondly, petition. After pouring out your heart to the Lord, tell him exactly what you would like him to do for you or for someone else. That’s what petition is all about. Get specific.
Like most parents, I always pray for the safety of my children. I’ll be honest. I especially worry about my children when it comes to driving a motor vehicle. For some reason, when my children are away from home, I don’t worry about that. I guess that’s because I don’t know when it is happening. But I do worry about their driving when they are home. Not because they are bad drivers but because I am a worry wart.
Several months ago, when Josh was driving to and from work one night, I was, once again, worried, anxious, fretting. So, I started to pray about the situation. I prayed for Josh’s safety. That night, when he should have been home, I got a call. It was Josh. He said, “I hit a deer.” I said, “Where are you?” He told me and I went to pick him up. The car was damaged, but he was alright. It took a few weeks to get the car fixed. No big deal. $500 deductible. No problem. But I said to the Lord, “What happened? I asked you to keep Josh safe.” And the Lord said, “I did. You didn’t ask me to keep the car safe.” Paul urges us to be specific in our petitions!
But then the final step in prayer is to give thanks. We can give thanks in advance for what God is going to do in answer to our prayers. We can trust that he has a good plan for us. And let me tell you, when you move from prayer to petition and then add thanksgiving, what a release that is! Thanksgiving helps us to focus on the positive outcome that God is going to bring about. When we follow these three steps of prayer, petition, and thanksgiving, peace is what follows. And God’s peace is always something that passes our understanding.
One Christmas many years ago, I suddenly found myself without a job. I wondered and worried about how I was going to support my family come January. One December day during that season in my life, we were having friends come over to celebrate Christmas with us. But I didn’t feel like celebrating. I was down… way down. Before our friends came over, I decided to spend some time by myself in prayer in our upstairs bedroom. I don’t remember exactly what I prayed, but I just poured out my heart before the Lord. And suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, this tremendous peace settled upon me. When I went back downstairs, Becky later said she could see the difference in my countenance. There is a peace that passes understanding that the Lord will give us if we ask for it. His peace may not change our circumstances, but it will change us.
Focus on the positive.
But I know what some of you are thinking. You are wondering: “What do I do if I have prayed, and I am still worried?” I know. The mind is a funny thing. The mind can stay on track for one minute and get off track the next.
There was a Peanuts cartoon with Lucy saying to Charlie Brown, “I hate everything. I hate everybody. I hate the whole wide world!”
Charlie says, “But I thought you had inner peace.”
Lucy replies, “I do have inner peace. But I still have outer obnoxiousness.”
That’s the problem with our world, isn’t it? There’s a lot of outer obnoxiousness. There are many temptations all around us to negative thinking. Paul’s answer to this problem is to continue to focus on the positive.
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.
So much worry is the result of filling our minds with the wrong things. We need to focus on the positive. One good way to do that is by meditating on Scripture, filling your mind with the positive things God promises he will do for you.
Put it into practice!
But I know you still may be wondering: is meditation enough? Paul’s answer is no! If all we do is sit around thinking all the time, we will, I believe, inevitably fall back into negative thinking, and then, into depression.
That’s why Paul doesn’t end with simply saying “think on these things”. He ends with: “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.”
Sometimes the best antidote to anxiety is to get busy. Sometimes the best thing to do is stop moping around and do something good for someone else. When we get active in loving others, that’s when we can be sure that the God of peace is really with us.
Sometimes we can tease ourselves out of the slump by the proper kind of self-talk. Next time you are depressed, try saying to yourself: “Don’t just do something. Sit there!” And maybe that silly command will remind you to turn things around and say, “Don’t just sit there. Do something!” Sometimes there is magic in action. For as they say, “Even God can’t steer a parked car!”
Well, you still may be wondering: how do we do any of this? How do we rejoice always, stop worrying, pray, focus on the positive, and put Christian principles into practice? I believe this little story sheds light on the answer… Earlier in this message, I mentioned my friend, author Tim Hansel. A year after his first book was published, Tim received a “fan letter” from a former student. The young man began the letter by telling Tim how he had inspired him as his gym teacher in the 1960s. Then he concluded his letter by saying…
Well, that was more than a decade ago. I went to college and majored in journalism because my senior English teacher told me I had no ability as a writer (I never liked him much and I had become fascinated by things I supposedly could not do). All through those four years I held your example in my mind, looked for possibilities and wondered—often—how you always managed to be so positive all the time.
Five years ago, I met Jesus and figured you out.[1]
Jesus really is the key who unlocks true and everlasting joy…
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