5 Practicing Joy Who do you know that exhibits joy? QUESTION 1 #BSFLthrive BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 113
THE POINT When I focus on Christ, joy and peace flood my life. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE Pharrell Williams song Happy swept the nation and hit number 1 on the Billboard charts in 2014. From the catchy beat to the fun lyrics, the song delivered on its name. You couldn t help but feel happy when you heard it. The tune was so popular, Williams released a video of the single featuring a variety of celebrities lipsynching the song on a 24-hour loop. That s right. You could literally stream the video for an entire day. Let s be honest, who wouldn t want 24 hours of happiness? By now, you ve probably learned that we re not guaranteed happiness 24/7. Traffic happens. Responsibilities make demands on our time. And challenges arise. We won t always experience happiness, but we can have joy. And that joy impacts how we think about and deal with life s challenges. Sitting in prison and bound in chains, the apostle Paul showed us that when we focus on Christ we experience joy and peace no matter what challenges lie before us. 114 SESSION 5
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? Philippians 4:4-5 (HCSB) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. The theme of Paul s Letter to the Philippians has been joy in the Lord. In verse 4 of the final chapter, Paul turned his attention back to that theme when he wrote: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Many things can rob us of joy. Doubt, death, challenges at work, illness, relational difficulties, and numerous other problems can cause Christians to lose their song. But we need not lose our joy, because we do not rejoice in our circumstances; we rejoice in the Lord. Joy comes from our relationship with Jesus, not our circumstances. It s important to remember that Paul wasn t writing this letter from a sweet beach house. He was in prison. Some of the Philippians surely remembered when, right there in their own city, Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned. Still, the two evangelists spent the night praying and singing hymns of praise (Acts 16:11-12,22-25). Where did Paul s joy come from? It came from the Lord Jesus Christ. Joy is not about getting what you want; it s about being grateful for all that you have in Christ Jesus. In hard times, the Christian can drink deeply from the well of salvation that produces joy in the midst of struggle. Paul went on to say, Let your graciousness be known to everyone (v. 5). The word for graciousness is difficult to translate, but it carries the idea of having a gentle spirit with others. It s the opposite of being contentious and self-seeking. This spirit of graciousness was displayed perfectly in Jesus life and ministry (see 2 Corinthians 10:1), including His attitude toward those who reviled and crushed Him (1 Peter 2:23). We are to be like Jesus, and Paul said in Philippians 4:5 that believers should display this gracious, gentle spirit with one another and before the watching world. What is your initial reaction to Paul s commands in these verses? QUESTION 2 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 115
THE POINT When I focus on Christ, joy and peace flood my life. Paul then added, The Lord is near (v. 5). If the apostle was speaking of the Lord s return, then perhaps he was saying something like, Jesus is returning, so live appropriately and be ready. But if he was referring to the Lord s presence with His followers, he may have been calling the Philippians attention to the fact that God was always nearby, ready to assist them. Of course, Paul may have had both options in mind. Both are certainly true! Christ s return should cause us to want to live holy lives every day, while knowing Christ is near should encourage us and cause us to call on Him for help. Philippians 4:6-7 (HCSB) 6 Don t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Paul instructed the believers in Philippi don t worry about anything (v. 6). A degree of worry more accurately defined as concern is positive, when it motivates us to carry out our responsibilities. The same Greek word is used elsewhere by Paul to describe the concern we should have for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25; Philippians 2:20). But negative worry is very different. We can be rightly concerned about things in the present, but worry almost always deals with the future something we do not possess. peace Negative anxiety can immobilize us and squeeze the joy out of us. Worries are like false prophets who tell us God isn t good, sovereign, or wise. It s living as though God is not the sovereign Ruler over all. 116 SESSION 5
How does prayer help move us from worry to trust? QUESTION 3 Instead of worrying, we re to pray. Paul had begun his Letter to the Philippians with a joy-filled prayer (Philippians 1:3-11), and now he instructed the Philippians to pray in the face of anxiety. Accept the truth that we shouldn t have a heart filled with negative anxiety. Paul simply said, Don t worry about anything (v. 6). Worry should no more be part of a Christian s life than gossip, envy, covetousness, or sexual sin. Cast all of our cares upon God who cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). The most basic remedy for anxiety is prayer. Paul said peace comes only through prayer. God never worries. He is in control, so we can give Him our burdens. Pray with thanksgiving and intercession. Paul didn t deny we will have hard times, but he knew that in those hard times we can offer up the sacrifice of thanksgiving. We should also offer up our petitions to God when in need. We can offer our prayers and petitions confidently and with thanksgiving (v. 6) knowing God is faithful and will provide. Fight anxiety by praying with faith in God s promises. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (v. 6). Once we pray and give our burdens to God, we can be surrounded and sheltered by the peace of God. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 117
THE POINT When I focus on Christ, joy and peace flood my life. "We rejoice in our hope, not in our circumstances. " MATT CHANDLER Who or what comes to mind when you read the attributes in verse 8? QUESTION 4 GOD IS ABLE On a scale of 1 to 5, (with 1 being None and 5 being Way too much ) how much anxiety do the following things bring you? Money None Way too much Relationships None Way too much Work None Way too much Planning for the future None Way too much 118 SESSION 5
Philippians 4:8-9 (HCSB) 8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Finally, Paul addressed the Christian s thought life. In Philippians 4:8-9, Paul urged the church to think on admirable things. Specifically, we re to focus on that which is: true, not false; honorable, not dishonorable; just, not unfair; pure, not obscene; lovely, not unlovely; commendable, not wrong; morally excellent, not corrupt; and praiseworthy, not shameful. As believers, we can take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Surrender your thought life to Jesus, and ask for help from the Holy Spirit when you re especially vulnerable. The wrong thoughts will still want to invade your mind, but we can be aggressive and take them captive! In addition to thinking praiseworthy thoughts, Paul also encouraged them to follow godly examples. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me (v. 9). Emulate leaders who think holy thoughts. Imitate believers who set their minds on our Creator and Redeemer. Watch them and follow their example. How can we practice the things Paul taught in this passage? QUESTION 5 When we focus and trust in Christ, we have peace. And when we focus and trust in Christ, we have joy. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 119
THE POINT When I focus on Christ, joy and peace flood my life. LIVE IT OUT How will you let the truths in the passage transform your life this week? Pray. What are your biggest challenges right now? Is your tendency to try to fix them before praying about them? Pray about each of these burdens. As you pray, ask the Lord to grant you His peace and graciousness as you deal with them. Be an agent of peace. When stressful situations arise this week, be the one to step up and set the tone. Remember all that is ours in Christ and demonstrate peace in the midst of whatever is happening. Share the joy. For some individuals, joy and peace are hard to come by. Check out www.onelifematters.org and consider how you might be a part of sharing Jesus, the source of real joy, with those who haven t yet heard the gospel. Difficulties will come. When they do, we can choose where to place our focus. When we focus on Christ, we experience joy and peace no matter what challenges we face. My thoughts 120 SESSION 5 Share with others how you will live out this study: #BSFLthrive