This short passage at the end of Paul’s letter to Christians in Philippi contains at least three verses that many Christians would list among their favorites. From a Roman prison cell (cf. Philippians 1:13-14), the apostle bore radiant witness to the quality of life God offers us. As we hand over our anxieties to God in prayer, he said God’s peace, purity and contentment flow in and through us, no matter what our situation.
• That Paul could write these words from a dank, gloomy dungeon in itself bore witness to the presence of “the peace of God that exceeds all understanding” in his life. What are some of the main anxieties that consistently disrupt your peace? What experiences or examples have helped you learn ways to hold fast to God’s peace more often, even when others cannot understand why you would be at peace?
• Paul seemed to relate our ability to live in God’s peace with the mental “diet” we select. His counsel was, “If anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise” (verse 8). With reality TV and celebrity tweets seemingly everywhere, does that strike you as naïve and idealistic? Or might it hold a key to helping you live with more peace and a stronger connection with God?