Philippians 4:4-7

This is a day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it!!

While as fellow believers we share in the ups and downs of life God protects us from being overwhelmed by it! 

We are called to share in the joy and in the tragedy of others.

Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.

The motif of maintaining joy in the midst of suffering is common in Paul’s writings. Showing consideration for one another. By displaying gentleness toward all people—believers and unbelievers alike—Christians reveal the gospel’s power to transform and reconcile. Paul again references the Day of Christ as motivation to live in a godly manner. The early Christians lived with a sense of urgency because they believed the Lord’s return was imminent. Paul wants the believers to acknowledge  their dependence on God and His provision. This conveys a range of meanings, including well-being, prosperity, freedom from anxiety, safety from harm, and deliverance from enemies. 

Paul envisions God’s peace as a soldier who protects the hearts and minds of believers from anxiety, fear, and doubt. Faithlife Bible.

In the midst of difficulties, in the midst of all situations, Christians are to rejoice. The joy of Christians is not based on agreeable circumstances, instead it is based on their relationship to God. Christians will face trouble in this world, but they should rejoice in the trials they face because they know God is using those situations to improve their character. Gentleness identifies a person who manifests a calmness and fairness of spirit. A person who is gentle is willing to sacrifice his or her own personal rights to show consideration to others. 

The Lord’s return could occur at any moment. Paul uses that fact to motivate the Philippians to honor God with their lives.

Paul exhorts the Philippians to pray about their circumstances instead of worrying over them. Instead they are to commit their problems to God in prayer, trusting that He will provide deliverance. The peace of God operates to protect the mind from external corrupting influences and to keep the mind focused on God’s truth. NKJ Bible.

Psalm 55:22  Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Isaiah 26:3  You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Matthew 6:25  “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Romans 12:12  rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;