Philippians 4:4-9

• Read Philippians 4:4-9

• When do you find yourself feeling most worried or anxious?

• Write down some of the things you have felt worried about this week/month/year.

Well I don’t know about you, but I am a bit of a worrier. I worry about lots of things, little and big, and I often find myself thinking about the worst case scenario. Especially at the moment, with so much uncertainty in the world, peace feels very far off, and anxiety and worry hang like a dark cloud over everything.

The problem of worry and anxiety is not a new one for God’s people. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he talks about the issue of anxiety and teaches God’s people how we can know God’s peace. In verse 6 he says “do not be anxious about anything”. Now that is easier said than done! But Paul doesn’t leave us there, he shows us what to do with our worries so that we may not be anxious about anything! He urges us to do three things:

1. Pray
Paul says, “but in every situation, by prayer and petition… present your requests to God.” Firstly, we are urged to pray! When we feel worried or anxious about anything, our first response should be to pray – to talk to God about it. Our heavenly Father, who created all things and is in control of everything, wants to hear from us! We can trust Him and cry out for help whatever the situation, knowing that He will hear us and that He loves us. 

2. Be Thankful
When we feel worried, being thankful is likely the last thing on our minds. But here we are reminded that as we bring our requests to God, we should do so with thanksgiving. Deliberately practicing thankfulness actually helps our anxious hearts to focus on God rather than our worries. Remember how much God has provided for you so far, especially in Jesus. Give thanks to Him for the many blessings you enjoy each day, even the ones wrapped in hard stuff – we have so much to be thankful for! 

3. Remember the Lord is near
In v5 Paul reminds us that “The Lord is near”. This is such wonderful news! Even when life feels uncertain, we can fix our eyes on what is certain – the Lord is near! Right now, for those of us who trust in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we know that His Spirit lives within us and we are never alone. And soon, Jesus is coming back. He will put all things right, every tear will be wiped away and we will enjoy eternity with Him! The Lord’s near-ness is certain; now and in the future.

In this life we will face many uncertainties, we will come up against much that could drive us to worry. God knows that, He knows our pain and our struggles. But as we pray to Him about these things and hold on to the certain hope we have of eternity with him when Jesus returns, God promises to guard our hearts and minds with His peace that surpasses all understanding! 

So when you begin to feel overwhelmed with worry, fix your eyes on Jesus! Hold on to what is certain and God will comfort you by His peace as He has promised.

REFLECT

• Go back to your list of worries – after reflecting on this passage how could you approach these worries differently? 

• Try turning Paul’s three steps into a little song/drawing/actions/whatever sticks in your memory, so that you can turn to it whenever worry strikes.

• Why is what the Bible says about worry good news for your friends who don’t yet know Jesus?

PRAY

Dear God, Right now I am feeling really worried about ___________. Thank You that You care about me and hear my prayer. Thank You most of all for sending Jesus so that I can know You and can look forward to eternity with You, when everything will be put right! Please comfort me with Your peace today. Amen.