Read Philippians 4:1–5
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
If anybody had an excuse for worrying, it was the apostle Paul. Two
of his beloved Christian friends at Philippi were disagreeing with one
another, and he was not there to help them. We have no idea what
Euodia and Syntyche were disputing about, but whatever it was, it
was bringing division into the church (Phil. 4:2–3). Along with the
potential division at Philippi, Paul had to face division among the
believers at Rome (1:14–17). Added to these burdens was the possibility of his own death! Yes, Paul had a good excuse to worry—but
he did not! Instead, he took time to explain the secret of victory over
worry.
The Old English root from which we get our word worry means
“to strangle.” In fact, worry has definite physical consequences: headaches, neck pains, ulcers, back pains. Worry affects our thinking, our
digestion, and even our coordination.
The antidote to worry is the secure mind: “The peace of God …
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:7). With
that kind of protection—why worry?
Something to Ponder
Do you think it is really possible to rejoice always? Explain.