Christian Living
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Philippians 4:6-12
We often allow the cares of life to cause us to be sorrowful or overly concerned regarding what’s next. I have heard some say the enemy has stolen their joy but I believe it may be more appropriate to admit that we’ve given our joy away for it was settled and written that we have power over all the power of the enemy.
We have been instructed in how to handle life’s issues. We are to take them to the Lord through prayer and with a heart filled with thanksgiving knowing He is able to see us through any situation. The Apostle Paul’s writing in this epistle emits a tone of trust. One has to truly trust in someone for them to openly share every area of their life in confidence that he will see to it that things are cared for.
It is indeed a child like trust that allows such peace to develop in one’s life. A child of a good parent has no worries of where the next meal will come from. They just come to the table and eat. They have no thoughts of how they will be clothed. They merely wake up and the wardrobe has been laid out for them. And in trouble they run to the arms of the one who has cared for them. The only one who is able to fix whatever’s wrong. And when they are older and understand the love that parent has given them as they grew, all of the times when “no” was the answer when a yes was desired. They will say, “Thank you”.
We can look towards the future at times with impatience and absent of gratitude for what we have at the moment. We fail to recount the many times God’s care covered us in our most tumultuous conditions. And each time we enter into another season of testing we forget the victories and triumphant testimonies received through no act of our own. And like ungrateful children we sometimes throw tantrums. Instead of being led by the Spirit we are dragged to a place of obedience by the pressures of life.
When things are stagnant and we don’t quite understand “the point” of it all, we should never cease to have contentment, joy and peace in the Lord. Where I am is where God has me right now. He has assumed responsibility for my well-being and therefore I will trust in Him. Things can and will be uncomfortable sometimes but as long as I am in His will that is where my provision lies.
We read that God foreknew us and predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son as is written in Romans. But with foreknowing and predestination comes a prescription for life; for yours and for mine. The Lord who foreknew us all also knows what it takes to get each of us where we need to be. He knows what to allow in my life and what to spare; all for the sake of my conformity with Christ. And with all I have been through, the high and lows, God has always been faithful and has always been right.
So why should I be anxious for anything? My needs, all of them, are known and understood by my Savior who cares for my soul, my King who governs my life, my Father who supplied my needs. So as the Apostle Paul, I will choose contentment in the Lord. I will refrain from forfeiting my joy and I will hold on to my peace no matter what state I am in.
Christy
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This reads like a sermon. I like it.
I had to click on this because... seriously, your name is Poindexter? Didn't you get teased mercilessly at school (or your husband if it's his unfortunate last name)?
Not that last name's really matter... but Poindexter?!!
Sorry. :)
I love your site btw and look forward to reading through more of your stuff Christy P.