Read Philippians 4:8-9 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Discover
Paul concludes his dialogue on worry and anxiety with a reminder that what we think about determines our level of peace. Oftentimes we don’t get to choose what we go through, but we do get to choose what we think about. These two verses give a roadmap for training our minds.
Worries will come. That’s expected and understandable. How we respond depends on what we’ve chosen to hold onto in our minds. In other words, we have to think about what we think about and take action to train our thought life.
A big aspect of this is understanding what we own versus what God owns. When we take things we can’t control and ruminate on them endlessly, worry is the result. When we put into practice the things God has called us to do and leave the rest up to Him, we’ll experience peace. Why would we hold onto worry when we could give it over to the God of the universe? He has so much more for us, and it starts with surrendering and training our thoughts.
• Hold onto the right things. Create a chart with two columns: “God Can” and “I Can.” Reflect on specific areas of your life where you may be holding onto things that need to be released to God. Write down specific things that you can own in the situation, including your thought life, and specific things that only God can own. What stands out to you as you look at your chart?
Respond
Use your Philippians Guidebook to reflect and respond. For a digital copy of the guidebook, visit tpcc.org/rebels-guide.
Want to go deeper? Look up the following verses for a reminder of what you’re called to hold onto vs. let go of. Note what you observe and then continue with your time of response.
• Proverbs 3:5-7