Have you ever thought how nice it would be if you could have peace regardless of what was happening in your life? I know it’s something I struggle with at times. But Philippians gives us some helpful tips about how to have that peace.
One of the keys to achieving and maintaining peace is to ‘stand firm in the Lord,’ Philippians 4:1. It’s easy to become unsettled when we are flitting from one new thing to another. We need to come back to what we know to be true and stand firm in our Christian faith.
The next key comes in verse 4. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always.’ This is not always easy to do especially when difficulties and hard times come. But notice it doesn’t tell us to rejoice because of the circumstances but to rejoice in the Lord. No matter how bad the circumstances are, if you are a Christian, you have at least one thing to rejoice in. You can rejoice that you are not alone in the situation. The Lord is with you. He knows and He cares about you and the hardships in your life. Verse 5 reminds us that the Lord is near. His Spirit is in you, John 14:17.
The third key comes in verse 6 – prayer. Someone once told me that the antidote to worry is prayer. We can spend a lot of time fretting and worrying that would be better used praying. I know because I’ve done it myself, before I’ve woken up to myself and prayed instead.
Many health experts have testified that those who are covered by prayer have a better chance of recovery from serious illness than those who don’t. We are told to pray with thanksgiving. We may not feel like thanking God for the circumstances. But no matter how bad life is, there is always something we can thank Him for. Making a list of blessings and keeping a gratitude journal can help with this.
Paul tells us that if we use the keys given above the peace of God, ‘which surpasses all comprehension,’ will ’guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:7.’ Jesus Himself spoke of His peace being far superior to that the world promises, John 14:27. So there is no reason for us to be troubled and fearful. We can have that peace promised, despite the circumstances.
Bible verses from New American Standard Version
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