Oh, I can't stand it!! Never mind--I can't move on...not just yet! How can you resist bragging on Almighty God and the life-changing power of His glorious Word? So just for the record, can I say one more time that Paul's joyful love letter to the Philippians and to the Lord, well, it's gold. In fact, forget the Olympics. Philippians is the real gold, baby. Pure gold.
Seriously, if you want to rediscover joy, relearn gratitude and recall why and how to be deeply, truly contented in any and all circumstances (and who on earth doesn't want that?), then look no further than this little four chapter jewel.
We finished the last chapter today in Bible study, and boy, I will miss delving into it's treasures on a daily basis. Of course, the good news is that Philippians isn't going anywhere, so we can keep returning over and over again to mine it's riches, but it's time to say goodbye for a little while since we're on to the Old Testament book of Esther. Which, in case anyone is wondering, is also some mighty fine stuff. So we're all good.
But before I move on, I thought I'd include a little excerpt from what we talked about today, since it has profoundly affected me and the way--Lord willing--I transfer worry into prayer. God's Word has a way of forever changing us if we'll let it soak into our hearts and minds and then choose to live out what we're learning (it's called "obedience"--not that any of us really like that word, but shoot, that's how we're changed more and more into His image). So without further adieu, a tiny taste of why I love Philippians! (This is a bit long--feel free to stop reading!)--
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
This command not to be anxious about anything is really just the opposite side of the coin from rejoicing. You cannot rejoice and worry at the same time. It’s one or the other. And notice: we’re not advised “Don’t be anxious most of the time” or “Don’t be anxious...except in extreme emergencies” but Don’t. Be. Anxious. About. Anything.
Yeah, I know that’s hard. In fact, you might be arguing to yourself, “But you don’t know how impossible my circumstances are. You don’t know the tragedy that has befallen us. You don’t know how terribly stressful my life is. It’s ridiculous to tell me not to be anxious about anything.” And you’re absolutely right. I have some very dear friends who are enduring unimaginable suffering right now. I’ve prayed for them, for their children, for their marriages, for their health, often with tears streaming down my face.
But as I once heard a minister say, “Many things are understandable that are not excusable.” Yes, it’s absolutely understandable that we worry about some things...but according to God’s Word, it’s not excusable. We’re told not to be anxious. And we’re told this because God adores us and doesn’t want us to live our one brief life on this planet plagued by worry and overcome by sorrow. No, He wants us to live it with joy and peace even in the midst of whatever ups and downs we’re going through.
Did you know that the Greek word Paul uses for “anxiety” means “to be pulled in different directions?” Our hopes pull us in one direction but our fears pull us in another, and we’re torn apart. When has your anxiety torn you apart, pulling you away from being fully present and engaged with the people you love, because you’re fretting in your heart? Or when has anxiety pulled you apart from restful sleep, because your mind is torn up with worry in the wee hours of the night?
Moreover, the Old English word from which we get our word “worry” means “to strangle.” Isn’t that just a picture of what worry and anxiety do to us? We can feel strangled and suffocated by gut-twisting anxiety over the unknown and the uncontrollable in our lives.
But God’s Word says, “Do not be anxious about ANYTHING.” And here’s the really great news--the Lord doesn’t just tell us what not to do. Rather, He goes on to tell us what to do instead! It’s not enough to just repeatedly recite some mantra to ourselves, “Don’t worry. Don’t worry. Don’t worry.” No, we need to replace those strangling, destructive thoughts with something positive.
Praise God, here’s what we’re told to do instead: Rather than worrying about anything, we’re commanded “in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
In other words: Worry about nothing. Pray and praise over everything. What a formula! Even with my crummy memory I can remember that!
We’ve got to choose to convert our inner monologue of worry into a dialogue with God in prayer. Transform your worries into prayer! I love Henri Nouwen’s words on this:
“Our minds are always active. We analyze, reflect, daydream, or dream. There is not a moment during the day or night when we are not thinking. You might say our thinking is "unceasing." Sometimes we wish that we could stop thinking for a while; that would save us from many worries, guilt feelings, and fears. Our ability to think is our greatest gift, but it is also the source of our greatest pain. Do we have to become victims of our unceasing thoughts? No, we can convert our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer by making our inner monologue into a continuing dialogue with our God, who is the source of all love. Let's break out of our isolation and realize that Someone who dwells in the center of our beings wants to listen with love to all that occupies and preoccupies our minds.”
Okay, I bet you’re thinking, “Well, that sounds both simplistic but also terribly challenging to put into practice in real life.” But I can tell you from firsthand experience, whenever you give in to worry and fretting, you always plunge deeper and deeper into a pit of despair. But whenever you choose, by faith, despite your feelings, to convert that worry into prayer and praise, even if your praise is being thankful about the littlest of things, it will change the atmosphere around you and God will give you that peace that passes understanding.
I’m reminded of the words of James McDonald: “The decision to be worried is the decision to refuse to trust Jesus in this.” Ugh--we either trust Jesus and His plans and show it by praying and praising or we trust in our fretting and fears and doubts.
And the more you’re praying, the less you’ll find yourself worrying. But the reverse is also true: Less prayer--more worry. Ask yourself right now: Where am I on the prayer/worry scale?
We’ve got to make the conscious choice--the choice--to reject those thoughts of worry when they assail our hearts and instead choose, by faith, to convert that inner anxious monologue into a dialogue of prayer and praise. Hand it to God so He can deal with it and you can then experience “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.”
Okay, that’s it for today since I’ve probably already annoyed you by the length of this blog. Sorry! But can I encourage and challenge us all here (including yours truly) to choose this day to think rightly....because what we think inevitably leads to what we do. So let’s decide now that when those thoughts of worry and those fearful “what if's?” assail us, we’ll immediately take that anxious inner monologue and convert it into a dialogue of prayer with the Almighty One. After all, when we worship, worry flees.
He’s waiting and listening and loving...so let’s take it to our Father. He’s totally got it...He’s promised. To God be the glory.
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