How do you get peace in a really bad situation? You may be in the fight of your life financially and about to lose your home. It may be that you've been diagnosed with lung cancer as my father-in-law was last week. It may be that your marriage is falling apart.
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You fill in the blank. We're either headed into a crisis, in the midst of one, or coming out of one. Now coming out of one is great. We can see what God was up to in part and we get a measure of peace from that. But how can we get peace if we're headed into or in the midst of a crisis? God tells us how to do just that in Phil. 4:4-9.
The first thing you have to do is focus on God instead of your situation. That's easier said than done but that's what Paul means when he says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice" (v. 4). He's not saying that we're happy about what we're going through; he's not even saying to rejoice in our difficulties. He's saying rejoice in the Lord, and that's something altogether different.
Biblical joy is the knowledge that God is in control of your circumstances and allows only that which is good for you into your life (Rom. 8:28). That's why James says to consider it joy when a trial comes your way (Jas. 1:2). It's not that the trial brings joy; it's what God is doing for us through the trial; His good work is coming into our lives. Because we know that, we consider the trial joy; we rest in the Lord. In essence, we worship Him. That's what Job did when he lost his possessions and his family; he said, "Blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).
Dr. Paul Dean invites you to discover more about yourself, God, and others . . . and develop a Christian worldview. Dr. Dean is a pastor, cultural commentator, and author. Receive a FREE commentary and learn more at www.trueworldview.com.
