A Reflection on Philippians 4:1-9

Rejoice Meadow by Carol Ann Wood

‘Rejoice in the Lord, always; again I will say, Rejoice.’ Sounds simple, but as we continue to live through the pandemic and the headlines are dominated by news of rising hospital admissions and greater restrictions on our daily lives, we might not feel very much like rejoicing. However, this would be to misunderstand what Paul is talking about when he commands the Philippians to rejoice. Today, we often think of joy as a private experience; an overflow of good feelings in response to happy events or circumstances. In fact, most of us would probably say that joy is something we have experienced only at those rare moments in life when we feel great delight in something that has been exceptionally good or satisfying. We wish people joy at Christmas because it is a special time of year; I can’t remember the last time I wished someone joy on a Monday morning when they were headed out to work!

However, for Paul, joy is not an emotion experienced by individuals, but rather is something that is shared with others in the community of faith. The command ‘Rejoice’ is in the plural, and the church at Philippi is being called to rejoice together in the Lord. Joy is not an emotion dependent on individual circumstances, but rather is a way of a community seeing the world differently because of the grace that God shows us in Christ. We experience joy when we are able to see God’s love at work in the world around us so that even in very difficult and challenging situations, we rejoice because God in Christ is near to us at all times.

The community at Philippi knew what it was like to face struggles and challenges. Paul is writing to them from prison, longing to return to see them but with no prospect of this in sight. Perhaps because of Paul’s prolonged absence from them, the Philippians are struggling to cope with the uncertainty of what lies ahead and tensions have arisen. However, he tells them to keep on with their everyday works of gentleness and prayerful living because it is the seemingly ordinary acts of kindness and generosity that bear extraordinary gifts of God’s love. In fact, it is in the ordinariness of everyday life in all its

complexity that we can experience God’s nearness to us in Christ, the source of our joy. Indeed, Paul says that joy always takes root amid adversity; there is no other soil for it to grow in. Joy, therefore, is not an escape from the pain of life; it is a reconsideration of life from a different perspective, that of the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

It comes naturally to Paul that prayer is closely linked with joy in the Lord. When Paul tells the Philippians not to worry about anything but to pray about everything, he is talking about their relationship with God. When we notice and rejoice in the presence of the living God in the world around us, even in the most difficult situations, we let go of our need to be the one who is in control. Then, rather than the ‘everythings’ and ‘anythings’ of life being a source of endless worry, we make them the subject of our prayers. Like joy, prayer is not an escape from hardship but is the practice of looking at the same painful situation from a different angle, one that is open to multiple resolutions that God allows us to consider. So leaving worry behind is not about giving up on life or just passively accepting things as they are. Rather, leaving worry behind means being attentive to the things that worry us in a different sort of way, as being alive to the possibility of God’s action because of God’s nearness to us in Christ.

Almighty God,Most powerful, most near, most goodI surrender my worries to youI have asked, you will supplyI have made my needs and desires knownYou will bring goodness and mercy

Thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulnessThank you for your saving powerThank you for grace upon grace

Your peace surpasses all need and understandingGuard my heart with your peaceGuard my mind with your peaceGuard me now and always in Christ Jesus my Lord, the Prince of Peace.

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness, your truth, your honour, your justice. All are at work in your world.

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness, your purity, your delight, your commending. All are at work in your world.

Focus my attention and hope on your goodness, your excellence, your praise. All are at work in your world.

All are at work in me, my situation, this very moment.

Focus my attention, my power, my resources to keep doing all you show me to be right, for you are with me, God of Peace and Hope.

Focus me on your promises that I may persevere, no matter the season or situation, for the building of your kingdom and the glory of your name.

Amen.