Christ, Our Guide to Maturity

KEY VERSE: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6,7

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Philippians 3:13-21; 4:1, 4-9

THE word ‘careful’ in our Key Verse, according to Moffat’s Translation, means “anxious.” Here the “peace of God” is contrasted with being anxious or overly concerned with respect to the vicissitudes of life. God is never anxious or worried over any of the affairs of his vast universe, so he has peace, a peace that is never disturbed.

God’s peace is based upon his certain knowledge that he has the power to control any and every situation which can arise that might seem to threaten his sovereign rule over the universe. We share this same peace in proportion to our faith in the promises of God to care for our every interest. If our faith is strong, we will enjoy a quiet and lasting peace. If at times we doubt, our peace of heart and mind will be temporarily lost and we will be anxious and worried. Much which, through lack of faith, disturbs our peace is related to our material needs. Jesus gave some excellent advice along this line. We quote the Master from the New English Bible:

“I bid you put away anxious thoughts about food to keep you alive and clothes to cover your body. Life is more than food, the body more than clothes. Think of the ravens: they neither sow nor reap; they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. You are worth far more than the birds! Is there a man among you who by anxious thought can add a foot to his height? If, then, you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about the rest? Think of the lilies: they neither spin nor weave; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor was not attired like one of these. But if that is how God clothes the grass, which is growing in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown on the stove, how much more will he clothe you! How little faith you have! And so you are not to set your mind on food and drink; you are not to worry. For all these are things for the heathen to run after; but you have a Father who knows that you need them. No, set your mind upon the kingdom, and all the rest will come to you as well.”—Luke 12:22-31

Concern over the material needs of life is not the only thing which may disrupt our peace—that “peace of God which passeth all understanding.” (Phil. 4:7) As new creatures in Christ Jesus we should be vitally interested in the Lord’s work, locally and worldwide. But our interest could develop into an anxious concern. We might suppose that those with whom we are associated in the ministry are not doing their part as they should, and become unduly disturbed. Thus we would lose that peace which is so inherent in our Heavenly Father, and was manifested in the life of our Lord Jesus, and which should mean so much to us as daily we seek to know and to do his will.

We are not here speaking of fundamental errors and practices. Where these are present, and there is no disposition on the part of those responsible to rectify the situation, then we should withdraw our support. But we have reference now to viewpoints and opinions which we may acquire that are slightly at variance with those generally held. These may pertain to methods of service, or to the character of the message being presented. But we should remember that God is just as interested in his own cause in the earth as we are, and even more so.

The difference is that God is able to change that which he desires changed, and if he does not do so, it is because he does not see the need. This does not mean that we should not express our views when we think changes should be made. It simply means that after giving expression to what we think should be done, faith should enable us to leave the matter in the Lord’s hands to do as it pleases him. If we can do this we will have peace, God’s peace, that quiet and blessed assurance that our loving Heavenly Father is able to control every situation in a manner which will bring honor to his name, and the greatest possible blessing to his people.

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