JAN 8

Philippians 4:6-7
Memorise Philippians 4:6
“Be careful for nothing…”

DO YOU HAVE PEACE?

Another fruit of the Spirit is peace – both an inward calmness of soul and an outward attitude that does not encourage needless strife. It begins, however, in the mind of the believer. In Philippians 4, Paul urges the believers in Philippi to “be careful for nothing”. It does not mean that they are not to care about anything – instead, the call is for them to set aside anxious worrisome care. It is natural for us to worry about many things in life, and it is particularly easy to fall into a state of constant worry when many vital factors of life are outside our control. Therefore, Paul instructs the Christians to “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”.

The result of this is that God’s peace, which “passeth all understanding”, will keep the believer. This means that the peace which God gives when we commit all matters to Him is a peace that the world cannot understand – it is a peace that allows Christians to go through any hardship, no matter how dire.

It is also important to note that Paul’s remedy for anxious care is not good and sound planning, nor is it rooted in anything that man can provide. Yes, God may work through many things, but the ultimate source of peace comes when we commit all our cares fully to Him. This means that even if the present situation may be very troubling indeed, with no help or clear solution in sight, a Christian who has committed all things to God will still be able to go through the day without fear and without being bogged down by cares and anxiety.

Christians have the greatest reason to have peace. There is no situation we may find ourselves in that God does not know of, and which He is not able to guide us through. His Word overflows with promises of His provision. As Christians, do we find ourselves in a state of constant worry over the future? Has the worry grown to a point where we find ourselves constantly burdened with thoughts of the future? If that is the case, then we need to listen to Paul’s exhortation – bring the requests to God, and find peace in the promises of His Word.

Thought: Do I worry about things because I doubt God’s power to provide for me?
Prayer: Lord, help me to cast all my cares upon Thee.