Looking For Joy In Our Gifts
Philippians: Finding Lasting Joy
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Which do you enjoy the most, receiving gifts or giving gifts? It is better to give than to receive but it is alright to enjoy both aspects of gifts. As Christians, we experience and should enjoy both. God gives us many gifts that we should enjoy receiving and for which we should be thankful for. We receive gifts of talent, wisdom, empathy, forgiveness, and love that we turn around and to others. But we also receive gifts of grace and salvation that are not earned and, as humans, are hard and sometimes impossible to give. Do you have a giving heart? When you ask yourself this question, ask yourself if you find joy in your giving. Paul hits several marks on giving and receiving in Philippians 4. Paul talks about four aspects of giving: unity in the church, prayer, monetary and physical gifts, and fellowship. He also speaks on four aspects of receiving: peace, protection, monetary and physical gifts in times of need, and grace. So, let’s begin to tackle these eight aspects of giving and receiving.
In verse 2 Paul jumps right into a topic that he has pressed into throughout the book of Philippians- unity within the body of Christ. There are two women, Euodia and Syntyche, who serve the church. We do not know exactly how these women labor with Paul, but they could have held a leadership role in the local church. They are having some kind of dispute that is prominent enough for Paul to address it in his letter so that all could see that their actions were wrong. By doing this, Paul is encouraging accountability. Paul is asking that someone help these two women overcome their dispute and move toward reconciliation. It is one thing to have a differing opinion with another Christian but to continue with your hard feelings and allow a division in the body of Christ to happen is another thing. God wants His people to be one body without any division. Division leads to cracks and cracks lead to unwanted things creeping in, and these unwanted things creeping into your foundation lead to rot. There is no room for rot in God’s body. God’s body is to stay whole, pure, and blameless.
With each of these areas of giving and receiving I’m going to ask you to determine what the giving and receiving are. Start by rereading Philippians 4:2-3.
What are the aspects of giving?
What are the aspects of receiving?
Is there someone in your life you need to reconcile with today? How can you give in that relationship and what will you receive by giving?
I cannot get enough of Philippians 4:4-8. There are so many points I want to hit in these 5 verses, you better put your seat belt on! Rejoice in the Lord always. That is such a loaded statement. We have been talking about this for a month now. We’ve been talking about how to find joy, how to give joy, and how to settle into joy where it is lasting. Paul is telling us to rejoice in the Lord. Chairo is the word used here and it means “to rejoice, be glad; or to wish someone well.” Chairo, to rejoice, often will result in a response of worship. When I think of rejoicing, the first thing that comes to my mind is worshipping God and giving Him praise. This action completes the enjoyment that we experience through Jesus Christ. We see the mighty works He has done and is doing and this should lead us to rejoicing.
How do you rejoice in the Lord?
Paul reminds the people of Philippi that the Lord is near. The early Christians lived with a sense of urgency because they believed that the Lord’s return would be soon. We do not know when the Lord will return but we are sure that it will happen. Because of this truth we should live with a sense of urgency as well, always prepared and living in a godly manner the way Paul has described to us. As we live and wait on the Lord things will happen that cause us anxiety. Hmm, maybe something like a pandemic. Does that word itself bring anxious feelings into your body? I hate to talk about the pandemic, but during that time, we all had conversations about our feelings toward what was happening and how our government was handling the situation. During that time and through all those conversations, I noticed my anxiety increased. I felt it all over my body; my heart races, I get hot, my speech becomes sharper and louder, and I begin to worry. I did some research on anxiety during the pandemic and was astounded by the effect it is having on people worldwide. The pandemic had led to loneliness and isolation, difficulty in concentration and sleep, physical reactions such as headaches, stomach problems and rashes, changes in appetites and interests, feelings of fear, sadness, numbness and frustration, worsening of chronic and mental health conditions, and increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances. How are we supposed to respond to these normal feelings of anxiety? We can turn to the internet to find ways to cope with our anxiety or we can turn to God and what He commands.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
God tells us to turn to Him in the form of prayer. God is aware of our hardships, and He wants us to depend on Him and His provisions. With thanksgiving we are to present our requests, our concerns, and our fears to God. When we present these things to God, we are trusting that He hears us, He cares, and He will respond. This is when our faith in prayers and God becomes real. We come before the Lord without any doubt that He is with us. Verse 7 says that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. The Greek word for peace is eirene and it conveys a range of meanings from well-being, prosperity, freedom from anxiety, safety from harm, and deliverance from enemies. This peace that God gives us guards our hearts and minds. We can envision God’s peace as a soldier who is protecting us from anxiety, fear, and doubt. We have a soldier that is willing and ready to protect us from these uncomfortable feelings that the world’s uncertainty brings us. The big question is, “Can you rely on that soldier?” Only you can answer that question.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
Are your thoughts noble, pure, and lovely? I can answer that, and my answer is a big, fat, disgusting “NO.” My thoughts are tainted by my jaded opinion, my fear, my worry, what I read on the internet, hear from my friends and the television, and confusion. I need to refocus on Jesus. As we discussed last week, Jesus is overshadowed by my impure thoughts. When you find yourself floundering like a fish out of water, receive the gift of Jesus and refocus your thoughts. He is always there to listen, care, and respond. We have to be willing to refocus our thoughts so that we can hear His response and feel His peace.
What are the aspects of giving?
What are the aspects of receiving?
What do you need to give to the Lord?
What do you need to change so that you can receive from Him?
Paul ends his letter to the Philippians by thanking them for the gifts they have sent him. He says that he is not in need but he is thankful that they provided for him. Now, when Paul says he is not in need it might be different than what we are thinking. Paul knows what it is like to live with abundance and to live without. He knows what it is like to be full and to be hungry. He also knows what it is like to be alone and to be loved. Through Paul’s experiences, he has learned to live content in whatever the circumstance may be. Paul says that he was able to be content through the strength that God has given him. God equipped Paul with peace that transcends all understanding, with courage to let go of fear and anxiety, with discipline to think of pure and noble thoughts, and with protection from all evil. God equipped Paul with these gifts, and He can equip you as well. Fall on your knees in prayer to the one that provides for your every need.
The people of Philippi provided money and supplies for Paul while he was imprisoned. How can we provide for our fellow Christians? Here we see a great example of helping not only our leaders in the church but also the rest of God’s body. When we see a need, we are called to fulfill it.
What are the aspects of giving?
What are the aspects of receiving?
In closing our study of Philippians, Paul encourages us to greet each other and fellowship with each other always. As we fellowship with each other, we are encouraging each other. As we encourage each other, we are uniting under one common cause. Through each one’s experiences and hardships we are learning the true secret of joy and peace—imitating Christ and serving others—just as Paul learned during his time in prison. By keeping our minds clear and focused on Jesus we are learning unity, humility, joy and peace. We are learning to depend on Jesus through every circumstance. We are not promised an easy life, so dependence on God is our only answer.
What are the aspects of giving?
What are the aspects of receiving?
How does fellowship with other Christians refocus your thoughts?
How is God leading you to encourage someone that is filled with fear, anxiety, and worry?