Philippians - Antidote to Anxiety (Lesson 7 - Post 1)

Philippians 4: 2 - 9

There are 2 thieves that rob us of our well-being.  They steal from us the feeling of richness in our own lives, of joy and of peace.  Paul addresses both of these villains in Chapter 4 of Philippians.  The thieves are Anxiety and Discontent.  Anxiety attacks the mind.  Discontent attacks the heart.  The mind and the heart are the parts of you that make life possible ... meaningful ... rich.

First, consider the mind.  Consider the role that anxiety plays in robbing your mind.  The Greek word translated, anxiety, is merimnao.  One of the definitions of this word is "to have a distracting care".  Notice, it is not to have cares ... we all have cares and concerns about people we love and circumstances we must navigate.  It is when the care becomes so distracting that you cannot live your life ... it has moved over into the realm of anxiety.  We also get some insight from our English word, worry.  It comes from an Anglo-Saxon root which means, "to strangle".  Same idea.  Your life is strangled when anxiety rules supreme.

So, what's the antidote?  Paul mentions 5 mental practices that will help us do battle with our tendency toward anxiety.  They are things of discipline.  They are things we can literally 'practice'.

Number 1 ... Believers are to agree in the Lord - not in the flesh - in the Lord.  Not according to the ways of the world - but in the Lord.  Doesn't mean we will all think alike.  What does that phrase mean to you?  How can you practice it in your own life?  It's important.  Unity in the body of Christ is of utmost importance.  Jesus prayed for it ... He said it would be the proof to the world that God had really sent Him and He was the Son of God.  (John 17)  Need to practice?

Number 2 ... Paul tells us in verse 4 to rejoice - always!  It is command language.  It is instruction language.  It does not depend on circumstances.  Need to practice?  Are you having to live through circumstances right now that could rob you of joy in your life?  Don't let them!  Choose to practice joy in the Lord.  What does that mean to you?

Number 3 ... Paul tells us in verse 5 that our 'gentleness' should be evident - observable.  This is not talking about people who have a natural temperament of gentleness.  All believers need to be observably gentle spirited.  Definitions for this Greek word include:  "seemingly, suitable, equitable, fair, mild, gentle."  Are you?  Do you practice?

Doing battle with anxiety is worth the effort.  These give us enough to 'practice' for one day!

(To be continued ...)