There is nothing beyond God. You cannot surprise Him. You cannot stump Him. You cannot run so far that He can’t reach you.
He is bigger than any trouble you face.
He is greater than whatever’s plaguing you.
He is with you. You are not alone.
Hang on with faith, dear one. Go to our Father God. Talk to Him. Trust Him.
Know He loves you. Know the Lord is your hope. Rest in Him.
Sleep well, dear friend. Rest easy in the love of Jesus.
Good night.
No, this is not me in the photo. Nor is this campsite in Philippi or anywhere else in Greece. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – the source of this picture – this is a Junjik Valley Man with his wall tent.
The Junjik River Valley is in far northern Alaska. I’ve never been to Alaska.
Or Greece.
But I’d like to someday.
When I say I’m “camping” in Philippi, I simply mean I’ve been spending a lot of time reading and meditating on the book of Philippians.
But you already knew that.
As I was sitting reading Philippians 4:4-9, I was struck by the absolute, emphatic, all-encompassing language Paul uses.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned[e] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:4-9 [ESV] – bold italics added for emphasis
There are no “ifs”, “ands” or “buts” here. No “maybes”. No “sometimes”.
We are to rejoice in the Lord always. Not when we feel like it. Not when everything is nice and tidy in our perfect little lives. No, we are called to rejoice always. When we’re hurting, or worried, or down. Rich or poor, healthy or ill, calm or stressed, we are told to rejoice. Always! This fact is so important, Paul repeats it for emphasis.
We are to be anxious for nothing. Not “nothing but…” Nothing! Again, Paul emphasizes the point, this time with the opposite side of the coin: in everything, go to God.
It may not make sense to rejoice or refuse anxiety when you look at your circumstances. But, that’s the point. We aren’t meant to look at our circumstances.
We’re meant to look to God, to fix our gaze upward with joy and thanksgiving.
Paul even admits that such behavior is illogical from our limited earthly perspective. But seeking true peace with God is seeking the peace beyond all understanding – far deeper than a mere calming of our life’s storms.
Finally, Paul tells what to think about. Note the six “whatevers” and two “any(thing)s” in verse 8. These are the thoughts God wants us to have. All of these are thoughts on the ways of our Lord: truth, honor, justice, purity, beauty, awesomeness, excellence, praiseworthiness… in their truest forms, these are reflections on God.
It all boils down to this: we are to focus on the Lord, not ourselves. We have to not let life get us down, but rather let God lift us up. And let all the world know Jesus is our hope!!
Rest in Jesus. Sleep well dear friends. Trust in God’s grace and love. And know the Lord is in control.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. – John 16:33 [ESV]
There are people on this earth who just exude joy. Even in the hardest of circumstances, they hold it together. They project an inner peace and calm and confidence in something beyond them. By all worldly standards, their situation should have them shaking in their boots. But… they keep on smiling, resolute and defiant in the face of opposition.
People like this used to befuddle me. I couldn’t figure them out. I could only come to conclusion as to the source of this seemingly inappropriate joy.
Drugs.
Thankfully, over the years God has shown me a few things through my own circumstances. I’ve had – still have – plenty of battles with anxiety, depression and worry. Do you mind if I share just a few thoughts on the subject of joy and troubles?
It’s Faith, Not Drugs
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 [KJV]
Faith – that assurance in God in all things – is the substance, the thing that makes our hopes tangible. Not just some pie-in-the-sky dream, but reality. The NIV uses the word “confidence”. The ESV says “assurance”.
The Greek word for “substance” is ὑπόστασις (hupostasis). This term indicates faith is our very nourishment. It is by faith in God through Jesus that we grow.
It’s Faith, Not Human Perception
Simply put, we don’t know what we don’t know. Likewise, we don’t know what God knows. We are not omniscient, omnipotent or omnipresent. We do not know what will happen in ten seconds, let alone ten hours (or days or weeks or… you get the picture).
This is why we must learn to see through eyes of faith. We have to trust the Lord. We have to give Him our burdens and not take them back. We have to believe that, despite the circumstances we see and perceive, our situation is not hopeless. Our hope is in the Lord.
It’s Faith, Not Navel Gazing
The big problem with fear, anxiety and worry is the focus they bring. They cause us to look inward. We spin our wheels worrying about how we’ll fix this or that problem.
Worry and anxiety are unproductive at best. And, when we spin in the mud of doubt and fear, we just end up slinging filth and ick and burying ourselves in the mess.
Am I saying we should do nothing to fix the problems in our lives? Not at all. What I am saying is this:
As you walk through life, walk with God. Always. Stay in His Word. Pray without ceasing. Make the Lord your first priority – not your worries. Focus on God. Find your nourishment though faith in Jesus. Set aside the fear and anxiety. And, when the self defeating thoughts come, stop. Set them aside. Go to God, in faith, knowing you are safe in His very capable hands.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7 [KJV]
The Bouville Diarist 