Four Impossible Commands (That Might Change Your Life)
Have you ever read a command in the Bible and thought, “yea sure, as if it’s that simple?” Today we’re going to talk about four such commands from one passage, and why these seemingly impossible imperatives are less discouraging than you might think.
I’m 10 months into memorizing Philippians, but I don’t need to work on memorizing 4:4-8. I’ve pored over these words many times, and this month I’m loving the opportunity to take even more time to focus on them.
There’s a lot to unpack in these verses, but first:
You probably found this post while checking emails or scrolling social media, and your brain is in the mode of quick scrolling and skimming. Especially if you’re already familiar with these verses, it’s so easy to just scan them quickly and scroll on to see what I have to say further down.
But can I encourage you to stop your scroll and let these words soak into your heart? If your Bible is within reach, maybe even grab it and read them there. And if you end up reading your Bible instead of coming back to read this post I’ll consider that a win :)
With that, here’s the passage:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Philippians 4:4-8 NKJV
These verses give so much comfort and hope, but a few phrases can be a little difficult.
“Rejoice in the Lord always,” but what if you just can’t feel joy? What if you’re grieving? What if you’re struggling with depression?
“Let your gentleness [or reasonableness, or graciousness, depending on the translation] be known to all,” but what if you just can’t curb your temper? What if you are not a naturally gentle person? What if you feel like your words often come out graceless and rude no matter how hard you try?
“Be anxious for nothing”, which can also mean simply “don’t worry.” I think we all know this one is never so simple. Who would really choose to be anxious if they had control over it? It’s a hard command to follow even if we’re talking about simple worry, let alone real anxiety issues.
“Meditate on whatever is… [whole list of good things].” Essentially, keep your thoughts pure. I’m sure this one has always been hard, but the constant stream of information and entertainment we have at our fingertips nowadays makes it harder than ever to feel in control of your thoughts.
Here’s where we go wrong: we read any imperative sentence and think of it as a rule, another box we have to check to measure up. Which means we read a passage like this and start feeling burdened by all the ways we’re falling short.
If reading Scripture makes you feel more burdened and weary, chances are you’re missing something. Because this is what Jesus came for.
He came to give weary, burdened people an easy yoke. (Matthew 11:28-30)
He came to erase all the requirements and regulations against us (Colossians 2)
He came to bring abundant life. (John 10:10) And the joy, gentleness, peace, and pure thinking described in this passage is an example of abundant life.
These things are not boxes to check off once you’ve mastered them; they’re a vision of what it looks like to abide in Christ. Growth won’t happen by focusing on the thing itself, but by growing in relationship to God.
“Rejoice always” is hard if you’re focused on feeling joy or finding it in your circumstances. But if you dive deep into the wells of God’s promises, you will rejoice in the Lord in a way that transcends what you feel in the moment.
Being so gentle and gracious that everyone sees it is hard if you’re thinking about how everyone sees you. But the end of the verse says “the Lord is at hand.” The Savior who called himself gentle and lowly at heart is near, with you in every moment to give you whatever you need.
Being anxious for nothing is a constant battle, but it says “don’t be anxious,” not “don’t feel anxious.” Worry and anxiety will always try to make their way into our hearts, but God’s peace guards the door when we give our worries to him in prayer. Anxiety may not go away completely, but the deepest part of your heart is safe.
Finally, changing what you think about is the best way to practice joy, gentleness, and peace. But it’s also sometimes the hardest. My brain is going twenty different directions all day long and I’m sure at least nineteen of those directions do not line up with this list. I actually just finished a book called A Still and Quiet Mind with a lot of practical tips for changing your thoughts, but once again, all the tips and tricks in the world won’t change your life unless the power of God is at work in your heart and mind.
So what’s one thing you can do today to grow in your relationship with God? You could read and meditate on these verses a few more times, you could pick one of these four commands and further explore what the Bible has to say about it, or maybe you just need to spend some time meditating on the character of God.