Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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 4:4-7
In a world of anxiety that is constantly attacking our peace and our identity, how do we overcome? How do we live a life of joy regardless of what is going on around us? As Christians, are we living differently? Are our hearts filled with anxiety and the cares of this world or are we living with joy and peace?
There are so many key words in this passage that bring amazing truths that will help us live a joy-filled life if we take them to heart.
Rejoice: What does it mean to rejoice in the Lord? If we rejoice in the Lord, our hearts are filled with great joy and delight. We are in awe of who He is and by being in His presence we feel peace, we feel hope, we feel joy. He is the replacement to our sorrow. Our hearts are free and filled with gladness.
Anxious: Being anxious is allowing our hearts to be fill with worry, a sense of uneasiness or nervousness. We live in a state of uncertainty and great concern how things might turn out. Scripture tells us to not worry because the Lord is near. Just as a child has peace when their strong daddy is near so we can have peace knowing our Heavenly Father is near and He always has our back. Anxiety is a belief that God cannot or will not take care of that which is threatening to overwhelm us.
Peace: In the middle of chaos and confusion, peace arrives. When we’re in the middle of difficult circumstances, peace comes and overrides our feelings of anxiousness. We can walk in peace because we know and trust that God’s love and care for us triumphs everything else.
The end result of a chaotic situation depends on what we do. Do we fuss, worry, fear over what we see with earthly eyes or do we take our concerns and lay them at the foot of the cross trusting in God who wholly loves and cares for every part of our lives?
When anxiety reigns in our lives, we often lash out at those around us and project our feelings on them; it robs them of peace as well. However, when we live with the knowledge that the Lord is always near, we can bring our concerns to Him. One of the greatest steps we can take is to thank Him continually that He will answer our prayers as He knows best. Instead of living a life of anxiety and discontentment, we will live a life of pure joy and peace.
The deciding factor whether we will live in anxiety or peace is what we do with what concerns us. There are only two options:
Option 1: Allow our minds to dwell on the what-ifs and believe that only we have the power to do something about it, or…
Option 2: Lay it at the feet of Jesus through prayers and petitions, thank Him for answering our requests and trusting He knows best, thereby filling our hearts with joy and peace.
One life … two ways to live … choose wisely!
May we continue to live…
Rooted in Him,
