Bryan Craddock - Rest In God's Peace

This morning our study of Philippians brings us to a passage of Scripture that I probably turn to more than any other. Not only do I turn to it for my own edification, but I find it to be one of the most practical and helpful passages to share with people in a variety of different circumstances. If we truly live out these words, our lives will be transformed. The lessons of these verses contain the basic solution to nearly every pastoral counseling scenario I have encountered in twelve years of ministry.

Turn with me to Philippians 4:6-9: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

People look for peace in so many ways. Sometimes we think the way to peace is to place yourself in just the right circumstances. It could be as simple as tweaking your schedule or as major as changing your career or ending your marriage. We’re always trying to find just the right recipe that will make life run smoothly, but we never find it.

Sometimes we just try to find ways to escape or detach ourselves from life. We try to lose ourselves in some form of entertainment: sports, movies, books, or TV shows. Some people try exercise, or yoga and meditation. Others try alcohol or drugs. Some people just try to stifle all emotion in their life. Some people just try to remain constantly busy with work and other activities, sometimes even ministry activities in church. No matter how far we escape, it’s never far enough.

This series has been focused on joy, but most of us can’t even find peace. Joy seems like it’s beyond our highest aspirations. In this passage, Paul offers what we so deeply desire. He speaks of an incomprehensible peace of God that guards your heart and your mind. How can we experience that kind of peace?

Paul speaks of five steps to peace in these verses.

1. Receive Christ.

Paul wrote this letter to Christians, so he doesn’t explicitly address the need to receive Christ in the verses we read. Nevertheless, the concept is still present.  Notice in verse 7 that he says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

When Paul says “in Christ Jesus,” he is referring to the mysterious connection that we have with Jesus Christ when we believe in him. He is in us, and we are in Him.

Jesus illustrated this concept for us with the picture of a vine and its branches. He said, ”I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The idea still seems a bit strange.  How do we abide in Him? Verse 7 clarifies it a bit further. He says, “If you abide in Me, and my words abide in You…” 

To be in Christ and to have him in you comes about when you accept the truths that Jesus taught, when those truths begin to take up residence in your heart and soul. It’s not enough to simply know them, you must embrace those truths, believing that Jesus is God’s Son who became a man, died and rose again, so that you could be reconciled with God. To believe is to adopt those truths as your personal conviction and hope.

When the message of Jesus truly takes up residence in you, then you are like a branch being grafted into a vine. The vine is your source of nourishment and strength. It’s through your connection with the vine that you are able to bear fruit, and the inner peace that Paul speaks of here is part of that fruit.

Have you come to the place in your life where the truth has truly taken up residence in you? That is a crucial question. If those truths are not central to your life, then you’re not really abiding in Christ and you won’t be able to experience the peace of God.

2. Stop worrying.

As Paul open’s this passage in Philippians 4, he makes a remarkable statement. He says, “Do not be anxious.”  Stop worrying. This is a revolutionary idea: we can control our response to the circumstances of life. I can choose to stop worrying. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it is possible.

Our society is structured around worry and fear fed by instantaneous news from around the world. Consider this small example. Earlier this summer, news reports linked a salmonella outbreak to tomatoes. Restaurants and stores across the country threw out their tomatoes. For weeks, people were afraid to eat tomatoes. Then a few weeks later, reports came out that say the real cause wasn’t tomatoes. It was jalapeno peppers. I’m sure tomato growers took a major hit as fear spread like wildfire.

We worry about sickness, about death, about the economy, about the environment, about safety… The list goes on and on. We are addicted to worry. We don’t know how to live without it. Advertisers, salesmen, politicians, and even some doctors love to take advantage of that. In contrast, we hear Paul’s command: stop worrying.

Jesus made an interesting observation about worry. He said, “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” (Matt 6:27). Worry doesn’t accomplish anything. He also said, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt 6:34). Many of our worries are unrealistic. Even the ones that are realistic are often things that might never happen.

I don’t think any of us enjoy worry, but there is an even more serious problem. When we worry we are in effect saying that God is either not in control or that God is not good. Even though we may say that we trust God. Worry flows from a belief that life is out of God’s control or that it is under his control and he doesn’t really care about me. Paul’s instruction here calls us to examine our heart. What do I really believe?

Do I really believe Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  If I believe then how could I worry?

This happens to all of us. All of us worry at times, but we shouldn’t and we don’t have to. We can choose to stop worrying, and that choice is a choice to go back to believing.

3. Keep praying.

We all tend to think that we will have peace, if we just stop worrying. But it doesn’t work that way. Often when the Bible tells us to stop something, it also tells us to start doing something else. It’s like changing your clothes. Take off the old ones and put on the new. Paul approaches worry in the same way. Stop worrying and start praying. Worry happens when we don’t believe. Prayer happens when we do.

Some of us are really intimidated by prayer. Some of us fear that we have to say the right words or put them in just the right combination. Paul gives us a very simple description. He describes prayer as making your requests known to God. Whatever concerns are weighing on you, tell those things to God.

It’s not that God needs your help to know about your concerns. Jesus said, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matt 6:8). The reason you tell your requests to God is that as you express your faith in Him, He works in your heart. I like the way Peter describes it in 1 Peter 5:7: casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

I think sometimes when people think of peace, they think of that detachment from emotion that we talked about. God’s not calling us to that. He knows there are genuine concerns and burdens that we have, but he gives us a healthy way to direct those burdens.  Rather than worry, we should pray.

Look at how Paul says to make our requests known back in Philippians 4:6. First he says “in everything.” In every circumstance, every situation, whatever is going on in your life, keep praying. Then he says “by prayer” – that is a general all encompassing term.  Then he adds “by supplication” – that word refers to a specific need.  Then Paul adds the phrase “with thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving may be the key here.

As we pray there is often a process we move through. We see it in many of the Psalms. We come to God with our concerns and frustrations. Sometimes in the Psalms, it sounds as if David has given himself over to complaining. But after a while his complaining wears out, and he begins to ask God to help—to intervene in specific ways. As he continues to pray something changes in his heart, and he begins to praise and thank God.

Even in the worst of times, there are a number of things to be thankful for. As Christians, we can thank God for saving us. We can thank God for listening to our prayers. We can thank God for the comfort of knowing that He is working all things together for good, even when we don’t see how that is going to happen.

But you know you’ll never get to the thanksgiving part unless you are completely honest with God in the complaining part. Some of us have gotten so used to covering up our true feelings that we even try to put on a spiritual façade before God. God doesn’t want to hear an impressive prayer from you. He wants you to genuinely rely upon Him, to be open an honest.

Once we have come to God in open, honest, specific prayer, then we can really begin to experience the peace of God. But how does that peace continue on? For me there are times when I’ve drawn close to God in prayer and I feel His peace, but then some knew circumstance arises and I begin to worry or get angry again.  Paul’s counsel is…

4. Focus your thoughts.

One commentator put it this way: “The peace of God will be the guardian of their thoughts and imaginations, only they must do their part in bending their mind to worthy objects.” In Philippians 4:8, Paul gives us a list of ways to focus our thinking.

First, focus on whatever is true. As I mentioned earlier, so often we worry about things that might happen. We are consumed with thinking about how I might lose my job, or how I might get hurt, or how I might be perceived by people. Such things may be possible, but they are not true in the sense that they haven’t happened yet.

Even more importantly, when Paul instructs us to focus on whatever is true he is calling us to focus on God’s truth. We are bombarded with messages every day in conversations, through media, even from our own heart. One of the constant messages we hear is, “Give yourself over to your lust and you will be satisfied.” Is that true? No. The truth is that if you give yourself over to lust, you will experience conviction. Another message we hear is, “Possessions make you happy.” Is that true? No. The truth is related in 1 Timothy 6:9: “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”

We have to be on our toes constantly, evaluating everything we hear. It’s a spiritual battle, and Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we need to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  Focus on what is true.

Next, Paul tells us to focus on whatever is honorable or noble. It’s easy to let our minds wander into thoughts that are disrespectful of people and that are shameful to ourselves. When we sense our minds drifting that way, we should redirect ourselves so that we think about things that are worthy of honor.

Then Paul tells us to focus on whatever is right or just. In other words, think about things that conform to God’s standards of right and wrong.

Similarly, Paul says next focus on whatever is pure. In other words, things that are free of moral corruption. One scholar explained this as thoughts which leave no blot on the conscience and no stain on the character.

Then, Paul says focus on whatever is lovely. Literally, the term Paul uses here speaks of that which directs us to love.  So some have translated this, think about things that are loveable, things that are worthy of adoration.

Next he adds focus on whatever is reputable or of good repute. I like the way the ESV translates this: commendable. Think about things that you could recommend that everyone else think about.

Two more characteristics: focus on any virtue or excellence. Peter uses this word in 1 Peter 2:9 to speak about the characteristics or the excellencies of God.

Finally, Paul says focus on anything worthy of praise.

All of these characteristics describe the way we focus our thoughts. I think there are some practical steps to take here.

Keep this list in mind when it comes to entertainment. Evaluate what you watch, listen to, or read by this list. 

We can’t always control what we encounter during our day, but we don’t have to continue to focus on it. Find ways to shift your thoughts back to God and His Word. Scripture memory is helpful in this regard. At times, singing songs of worship and praise has been a great help to me in controlling my thoughts.

Controlling our thoughts is fundamental to our spiritual growth and to experiencing God’s peace.

Receive Christ, stop worrying, keep praying, focus your thoughts, and finally…

5. Keep practicing.

Paul says in Philippians 4:9: The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

This is the bottom line. Take action.  Apply what you know.

James, the brother of Jesus, expresses this so well in James 1:22-25: But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

That’s life, isn’t it?  It is so easy to hear what is right over and over again. But at some point we have to take that step of acting, using it, putting it in to practice. In the context of Philippians 4, I think Paul specifically has in mind the steps we’ve discussed: not worrying but praying and focusing your thoughts.

I think that people saw this peace in the life of Paul. He endured innumerable trials, incredible suffering. Yet he relied upon God and experienced God’s peace. Do you have examples like this in your life? That’s one of the points of genuine Christian fellowship. As we develop transparent relationships with spiritually mature people, we begin to see who they really are.  We know when they go through trials, and we see their response.  Seeing someone else resting in God’s peace inspires us to do the same.

Conclusion

Are you resting in God’s peace? Perhaps you need to take a moment now to go to God and cast your cares, your burdens upon Him. Don’t delay.  Be honest with God about the things that worry and frustrate you. Ask Him for His help in those circumstances.  Ask Him to help you focus your thoughts and to begin to put these truths into practice.