The Joy and Peace of God
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)
Yesterday, we read on how believers can find joy in friendship and unity. In this next section, from verses 4 to 9, Paul emphasizes that the ultimate source of joy is found in the peace of God. Starting with verse 4, Paul reiterates the main theme of this letter, joy, telling the believers, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Even in the trials and tribulations, believers can be filled with joy, knowing that Christ is the Lord who reigns. As Anders simply states, “Joy is always in the Lord.”
Then in verse 5, Paul shows how joy can be exhibited in a believer’s life, through acts of graciousness or gentleness, “Let your graciousness be known to everyone.” The Greek word used here is epieikes, meaning “yielding, gentle, kindness.” Believers are to treat others, especially non-believers, with gentleness and kindness as Christ did. The reason for such behavior? Because, “The Lord is near.” God is always available to the believer, and His second coming is on the way.
In verse 6, Paul shows that joy will replace the fear and anxiety in one’s life, especially when we pray, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Fear and anxiety grow in our hearts when we focus on our current circumstances in life. But, if we trust the Lord and seek His will through prayer, He will provide us peace, strength, and guidance on how to proceed.
We can see this in verse 7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” The peace of God goes beyond all human understanding. A good example of this is Asaph in Psalm 73. He was filled with anxiety and frustration, seeing the wicked prosper while he, being faithful to the Lord, was experiencing affliction and difficulty. True understanding and peace came to him only when he went to the presence of the Lord, found in Psalm 73:16-17, “When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless until I entered God’s sanctuary. Then I understood their destiny.”
This peace of God will help protect our hearts and minds from discouragement and keep us on course as we walk with the Lord. May we ask God through prayer when we are facing difficult situations for His peace, knowing that He is always near us. May we be filled with His joy and saving knowledge, sharing to others the same hope of the future that we have in heaven.
Blessings,
Isaac De Guzman
