Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Reflection:
Paul’s final exhortations provide us with practical help in living out this encouragement to not grumble nor argue. As children of God, we are to Rejoice! Be full of joy! Celebrate God all day, every day! Why? Because we know that the Lord is near, He lives among us. This is what changes everything. This is what transforms our anxiety to peace in our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. No longer do we need to fret or worry about life, but rather we can present our requests to God by way of prayer and with thanksgiving. And now we are free to fix our thoughts on things that are excellent and praiseworthy, true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious, and lovely.
Responding to the Transmission:
Let’s put these things into practice and weave them into the fabric of our lives - the way we think, the way we feel, the way we pray, the very essence of who we are as children of God. With overflowing thankfulness, let’s rejoice for we know that the Lord is near, and that the God of peace will be with us!