“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 4: 6 & 7
Firstly, let me bring to mind the definitions for some of these words:
- Anxious: full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome
- Supplication: the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly; to pray humbly
- Surpass: to be beyond the range or capacity of; transcend; exceed
- Guard: watch over in order to protect or control; to keep safe from harm or danger; protect; watch over
If we were to draw up a 2 columned table with one side titled – ‘Things I am worried about / Things with uncertain outcomes’ – I’m sure we would list a variety of concerns, depending on our age, culture, experiences and of course, our perception of Christ. I know my own personal list has varied from health concerns, job & education matters, relational burdens, self-image worries – even things like “Will my post on Instagram get enough likes?” “Maybe THIS picture will get a solid number of likes on Facebook!” (Ah, the sticky web of social media!) – and my salvation. Go ahead, feel free to note down all the things that would fall into this category for you at the moment.
Column 2 would bear the heading: Things I humbly ask + thank God for.
It’s worth pausing and reflecting on the definition of the word ‘supplication’. To pray humbly. To ask for something humbly. To beg for something humbly.
Come to think of it, asking for help and giving thanks for that help, at their most basic form, lower pride. For instance, I am around 5’3” and so, from time to time, there are things that are physically beyond my reach. During these times, I call on my brother, who is around 6 ft tall (and still growing), or any other available tall human being who is able to reach items in high places with ease! By asking for help, I acknowledge my lack (in this case, height) and inability whilst recognising that my brother has exactly what I do not have but need (height). When I thank him for putting his ability to use for my benefit, I acknowledge that the outcome was achieved solely because of his ability and not mine.
If that is the basis of supplication and thanksgiving, then where is room for pride considering how great the chasm of my insufficiency is to God’s all sufficiency.
John Piper recently tweeted the following:
“Hezekiah became sick, and he prayed to the Lord, and He answered him. But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud.” 2 Chronicles 32:24-25
One of the surest signs of pride: the absence of a thankful spirit.
And might I add, I believe the existence of pride can fuel the flame of anxiety.
It’s the extinguishing of pride when you wholeheartedly acknowledge that you have insufficient or no control/knowledge whilst calling upon the One who possesses absolute control and ‘knows all things’ (1 John 3:20 ; Psalm 147:5). Pride is diminished when thankfulness is expressed to God for His sovereignty, might, wisdom, provision, discipline, love, grace, mercy and… I’ll let you continue the list in your own personal way.
What does your Philippians 4: 6 table look like?
Does your ‘Anxious’ column outweigh your ‘Thanksgiving’ column?
Supplicate and give thanks beloved.
Does your ‘Anxious’ column only have 1 or 2 things listed?
Supplicate and give thanks beloved.
Is your ‘Anxious’ column empty as the Apostle Paul encourages it to be?
Keep up your supplicating and thanksgiving beloved.
I think we are instinctively prone to list our concerns because we innately realise that there is so much that is beyond our finite knowledge and control. And that is fine. It is a good realisation. But what you do with that awareness will either result in despair or the ‘peace of God, which surpasses all understanding’.
Let’s pray together.
Father, we thank You for Your life giving promises. We thank You that You are true in all Your ways. We praise You Lord for there is no darkness, impurity or crookedness in Your being. Thank You Jesus for showing us our need for constant communion with the Father and for paying our penalty that we might live in faithful fellowship with our Maker. We praise You Father that You are all knowing, You are all sufficient, all powerful and always in control. Father, it is completely mind blowing that there is NOTHING or NO ONE in this universe that can overpower You or catch You off guard. You are above all things and Your authority extends beyond all levels of power on both the earth and the spiritual realms. We praise You Lord that there is no darkness, impurity, illness, failure or pain that is beyond Your saving grace. Father, please forgive us for the times that we sway toward unbelief or doubt and keep us close to Your heart so that our faith in & love for You will grow deep and wide. Father we thank you for times of pain and adversity even though we may not be able to immediately grasp the reasons behind them, we thank You that You use these as instruments to humble us, to increase our dependency on You so that Your glory is revealed ever so clearly in us. We thank You Jesus, thank You for achieving eternal peace for us with the Father and Lord we cry out for a divine peace that passes our finite understanding over these matters which seem to bear heavy in our hearts and minds. Thank You for loving us so deeply.
Love You Lord.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
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