Philippians 4:4-23 • Live Joyfully Without Worry

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Is there something in your life that is causing anxiety in you? In Philippians, Paul teaches us how to give our anxiety to God and get back to right thinking. That includes all worry, including worry about God’s provision to us. In the last article in this series, we looked at how to properly deal with conflict and still have joy. This is post #11 in the Philippians blog series. In this post, we will see how we can live joyfully without worry while trusting God to give us what we need.

Start with Rejoicing

Once again, as in Philippians 3:1, we are reminded of the attitude that is to be the response of all believers to everyday life.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:4-5)

We are to rejoice IN THE LORD—not in our own trouble except how it drives us to rejoice in the Lord.

Why we can do this

Why can we respond to everyday life with rejoicing in the Lord? We can do this because…

We know Christ and have joy in Him (1:26).

God is working in us according to His amazing grace for us (Philippians 1:6-7; 2:13).

We get encouragement and comfort from His love (2:1).

We have fellowship with God’s Spirit (2:2).

Doing so is obedience to Christ (2:12).

We know all the great things He has done for us (3:9).

Our citizenship is in heaven (3:20).

So many reasons to live a life of rejoicing. Plus we know that rejoicing pleases the Lord.

What it looks like

What does it look like if you are rejoicing in the Lord? Paul followed up that command with this: “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”

Joy is an inner quality of gladness and peace regardless of circumstances. It may not always be seen. But the way one reacts to others, whether in gentleness or harshness, will be noticed. Gentleness is joy outwardly expressed.

Gentleness means “strength under control.” It is willingness to yield one’s own rights to show consideration to others but without sacrificing truth. Gentleness doesn’t mean being a doormat. Considering what we have learned in this blog series, and in light of the expected return of Christ (“the Lord is near”), what would it look like to let your gentleness be evident to all?

Stand firm as one united church (1:27-28)

Put others first; live unselfishly (2:1-4)

Do everything without complaining (2:14)

Be intentional to live as Christ in serving others so they will want to hear the gospel from us and be saved (2:15-16)

One synonym to gentleness is graciousness. Think of someone who shows graciousness toward you. Doesn’t that make you want to know them more and spend time with them?

To live as Christ includes rejoicing in the Lord always and showing gentleness to those around us.

Jesus never sacrificed truth in order to be gentle, but He always had a gentle spirit that often disarmed those set against Him. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary NT, p. 663)

Rejoicing in the Lord also means we take action through prayer when we are worried or anxious.

Take Action with Worry

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Being worried or anxious can steal our joy. It pulls us in many directions away from trusting the Lord and living joyfully.

Give it to God

Paul doesn’t just say, “Stop worrying.” That never works? He gives an action to take whenever we are worried or anxious: give it to God in prayer. All of it!

Giving things over to Him includes those things that are legitimate concerns. They are not imaginary. But anxiety is an emotional response to whatever is bothering you. Paul told the Philippians and us to give to God every situation and our anxiety about it to God. We do this in prayer with thanksgiving.

Tell your loving God all about everything that is making you anxious. He can take it. These four truths will help you give it to Him:

He loves you.
He knows what is going on in your life before you do.
He can do something about it.
You can trust Him in whatever He chooses to do.

That is why we give our anxieties to God with thanksgiving. It means we trust Him for whatever He chooses to do and for what He promises to us—His peace.

Receive His peace

The result is a promise. When we give to God our anxiety, we receive from our Lord Jesus a peace and a way of thinking that protects and refreshes us. That promise is from these verses:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. … I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 14:27; 16:33)

True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is greater than anything we face.

Be the boss of your brain

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

One way the peace of God guards our minds and hearts is to lead us to think of things other than whatever is causing us anxiety. That is a result of praying with thanksgiving.

You are the boss of your brain. That means, you can intentionally choose your own thought life. You shouldn’t let others do it for you. Is there a particular instance in your daily life that tends to breed anxiety in you? Follow the process in vv. 6-8 to give your anxiety to God and get back to right thinking.

Obedience to God about your thoughts will also help to guard your heart when you are anxious. It’s a win/win!

Give Up Worry about Provision

Paul then uses an example of situations that can cause great anxiety in us and how to apply what he just taught in vv. 6-8.

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him (Christ) who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:10-13 NIV)

How God chooses to provide for you or me at any time in our lives is His sovereign choice. We are to give ourselves first to Him and trust Him with our daily needs as we do the work He gives us to do. Paul understood this well.

In plenty or in want

We look at Paul and consider him a super apostle pursuing the will of God. He is working hard, doing exactly what God purposed Him to do. He should have plenty and be well-fed. Right?

This same Paul—went hungry. Sometimes, he lived in want. If God saw fit that Paul would be in need sometime in his life, you can bet the rest of us might also.

Trusting God to take care of you and me in whatever manner He chooses is something we have to learn if we are going to have the perspective that Paul had—to live as Christ.

Why did God let Paul go hungry at times? Someone once said,

God is in the human development business. How is God going to teach us faith if He never allows us to have needs?!

We want to grow in our faith and mature as Christians so we pray, “Lord, make me a godly woman.” But in the back of our minds we are thinking, “Don’t let it hurt too much!”

Twenty years ago, in the midst of a lean time, a friend filled our freezer with venison. I learned how to cook it like beef, and we ate it every night for 3 months. And we thanked God for the gift. But I often wished it were beef or chicken.

Paul had the perspective, “To live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). Being content in plenty or in need is one way to live as Christ.

Read the blog, “Philippians 1:19-30 • A Joyous Perspective: To Live Is Christ.”

Trusting God in generosity

These Macedonian Christians in northern Greece had collected money to support the poor Jewish Christians in Israel. Paul wrote this about them in 2 Corinthians chapter 8,

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. (2 Corinthians 8:2-5 NIV)

Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. Oh, my. That is so radical. Extreme poverty giving generously! That goes so against human nature.

The Philippians, like Paul, had learned something about being content enough to share what little provision they had. They had a great purpose—following God’s will for their lives.

God’s riches to us

Regarding money, God’s will includes viewing all of our provision as God’s riches to us for the purpose of doing His will with it. Paul encouraged that response of living joyfully regardless of what the situation is or how much you can give or receive.

Paul said that this about the gifts they sent,

They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:18-19)

Here’s the key: God’s riches to us are supplied through us to meet another’s needs.

Those early Christians are an amazing example to all believers including you and me of the dynamic difference that God’s grace can make in the mindset of His people when it comes to provision. They gave themselves first to the Lord. Gratefully receiving and generously giving comes from the overflowing joy of knowing Jesus Christ and what He’s doing in our lives. Whether you are the receiver or the giver, how you do both should be different than what the world does. That is to live as Christ.

When we live as Christ and trust God to meet our needs, we can live joyfully through anything—including whatever can cause us worry.

God’s provision to us is not only for our needs but also for us to use for His purposes. Learn more about this from the blog, “Two Widows • 4 Lessons to Learn about God’s Provision.”

Want to have joy in your life?

Let Jesus satisfy your heart with the fullness of His joy. Then, live in that joy!

All of the above information is covered in the Knowing Jesus…Knowing Joy! Bible Study covering Philippians in the New Testament.

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