Gracie Tignor is a student at Liberty University pursuing a degree in Christian Leadership and Church Ministries with a cognate in Women’s Leadership. She has served as a Women’s Ministry Intern and a Student Ministry Intern at London Bridge Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, VA. She has a passion for seeing her generation and the next generation know Christ deeper and make Him known.
In Philippians 4:4-9, Paul gives us five ways we can find peace in Christ even when we are facing difficult circumstances.
1. Rejoice in the Lord
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
-Philippians 4:4
Rejoicing in the Lord means taking your eyes off of your circumstances and putting them on the One who holds your circumstances. We do this by remembering who God is, what God has done, and what God promises to do. When we acknowledge His character and His promises, we naturally have reasons to rejoice. A key word in this verse is “always.” This means joy is not circumstantial. It means regardless of our circumstances, there is never a time or a situation when we don’t have a reason to rejoice in the Lord. Because His character never changes, our rejoicing in the Lord doesn’t have to change either.
2. Reflect the Gospel
Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
-Philippians 4:5
Paul continues to encourage us that Jesus is coming back, meaning our trials are soon passing. They are temporary, and that should bring us peace in the present. When we walk through hard things, it isn’t normal to respond with graciousness (other ways that word is translated are “patience” or “forbearance.”) However, Paul encourages us to make this response known to everyone. Why? Because it shows the world something different. It gives them a taste of the Gospel. A gracious response comes from a place of peace. We have the capacity to patiently endure the hard things and leverage our suffering for God’s kingdom through our graciousness.
3. Respond in Prayer
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:6-7
It’s easy to want to ask God “why” when we are walking through hard things, but we don’t need to know the “why” to experience His peace. Peace isn’t dependent on our understanding, it’s dependent on Christ. Prayer, petition, and thanksgiving are of equal importance on the pathway to peace. Nothing should cause us to worry, but everything should cause us to pray and give thanks. Prayer, petition, and thanksgiving aren’t the first things to cross my mind in difficult circumstances, but I have found that it’s difficult for these things and worry to coexist. When you are praying or thanking God for something, it reorients your heart and mind towards the One that all worry has to bow to and the One who brings us peace.
4. Recall the Word
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.
-Philippians 4:8
We as humans are constantly thinking about something, and what we choose to dwell on matters. What we choose to dwell on will directly affect our peace. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” The enemy often tries to disrupt our peace by attacking our minds, but Scripture is our shield. In this verse Paul says to dwell on the things of God, which are found in the Word of God. We must be disciplined in knowing, studying, and aligning ourselves with Scripture to combat the enemy’s attacks and to experience peace.
5. Repeat the Practice
Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
-Philippians 4:9
If Paul, who is in prison at the time of writing this letter, rejoices in the Lord, reflects the gospel, responds in prayer, and recalls the Word, then we have no excuse not to. We are to follow this example even when we are facing hardship, knowing that the God of peace will be with us. It doesn’t say He might be with you, it says he will be will you. You find peace when you seek God. You can’t have true, long-lasting peace if God isn’t present. If you have a relationship with Jesus, you may walk through hardship without understanding, but you walk with Someone who provides peace along the way.
