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Today we are finishing up our series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians and what it teaches us about joy. If you remember, Paul wrote this letter while he was sitting in a Roman prison cell awaiting the outcome of a trial. Paul had been accused of stirring up trouble in different places and he was unsure of what was going to happen to him. Paul had been in prison for 4 years when he wrote to the church and in many ways the entire letter is a “thank you note” for a gift they had sent Paul with one of their leaders, Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus had traveled 6 weeks to see Paul and bring him some kind of a gift, and while in Rome he had gotten sick and almost died. He had now recovered and was able to make the long trip back to Philippi, so Paul sent him home with this letter of thanks and appreciation.
I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:18-19
This wasn’t the first time the church in Philippi had given to Paul. The church was known for their generosity.
In the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Philippians 4:15-16
Paul makes clear that their gifts and support through the years filled him with joy and now he is filled with joy again in being able to say thank you. Paul’s hope is that this note of gratitude will fill them with joy and he encourages them to rejoice in the Lord, always. In Greek, the word chara, is the word for grace, or the receiving of an unmerited gift, it is also the word for gratitude and thanksgiving, and the word for joy. It’s used often in this section of Paul’s letter, and it tells us that gratitude leads to joy.
Joy comes when we express our gratitude to others and joy comes when we are the ones who are thanked and appreciated. Knowing this, the 2 most important words in the English language might be thank you.
Marriages can be saved, strengthened and healed when people say thank you. Families become stronger when parents and children say thank you. Schools become better, teams become stronger, and businesses find more success when people say thank you. When was the last time you stopped and intentionally said thank you to your partner, parent, child, teammate, coworker, boss, neighbor or friend? When was the last time you sent a note of appreciation to someone, not because of something amazing they did but because of the amazing person they are?
During Covid, we seemed to go out of our way to say thank you to the everyday heroes around us like teachers, nurses, store clerks and wait staff who we suddenly realized were the true essential workers. We still need to thank these people. Staffing shortages in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, stores, restaurants and so many other places make working environments difficult, and a note of thanks and appreciation can literally change someone’s life. The joy of getting a thank you note can be huge, but it also brings us joy when we send it.
Who can you send a note to this week? Who might need a note of appreciation? Who are you grateful for and how can you express your gratitude? The first step in a lifestyle of gratitude that leads to joy is this: be mindful of those around you. Literally, stop and think about the people in your life who are making a difference. That’s what Paul did in writing this letter. He knew the Philippians had made a difference in his life and that they had always been there for him. They were a special group of people who went out of their way to help Paul and he wanted to express his gratitude.
Take some time to think of the people in your life who are making a difference and then do something - say thank you. That’s the second step: do something - say thank you.
When I grew up, we were trained to say thank you and we had to send out thank you notes for all Christmas gifts before January 1. In fact, for many years we got thank you notes for Christmas so we could send out those notes. I still think of that and try to remember to send out thank you notes on a timely basis, but I forget. It’s not that I don’t want to send a note, and I know the people who make a difference in my life, I just don’t act on it as often as I should. Mindfulness needs to be followed up with action. Stop and reflect on all those who make a difference and then do something - say thank you.
Gratitude is a lifestyle we can learn. It takes mindfulness and action, but it also takes a certain way of thinking and looking at life. All through the last part of Paul’s letter he gives us clues on how to embrace gratitude and experience joy, let me share a few.
1. Focus on all that is good.
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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9
There is a lot that isn’t good around us right now and that seems to get the most attention. Division, dissension, and disruptions all distract us from the good that is still out there. As divided as we might be, there is still a lot that holds us together. As difficult as life might be right now, we know that God is good all the time.
Paul was in prison, but he focused on what was good, and one of the things that was good in his life were the people of Philippi who had always been there for him. They had sent Epaphroditus with a gift, but this was not the first time. There were other times Paul could remember them helping him. He could count the times he was blessed by them. Maybe focusing on what is good literally needs to be counting the blessings in life. One of the top Christian songs today is called Counting My Blessings, part of the song says:
One, two, three, up to infinity.
I'd run out of numbers before I could thank You for everything
God, I'm still counting my blessings. All that You've done in my life.
The more that I look in the details, the more of Your goodness I find.
Father on this side of Heaven, I know that I'll run out of time
But I will keep counting my blessings
knowing I can't count that high
Count your blessings. Focusing on what is good will help our hearts to be thankful and that will help us to rejoice always.
2. Know that all will be well.
I’m not saying that all will be easy or that all will be comfortable or that all will be successful, but all will be well.
I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:11-13
Paul knew that not everything would be easy. Remember, he had been sitting in prison for 4 years and didn’t know what was going to happen to him. He wasn’t thinking that his future would be comfortable or easy, but he knew all would be well because God would continue to give him the strength to make it through. Because of his confidence in God’s presence with him, Paul was able to say that he was not anxious, and he tells us that we don’t need to be anxious either.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Jesus told us the same thing.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:25-33
We spend a lot of needless time and energy worrying and it steals our joy. If we remind ourselves that God loves us and will provide for us, then we don’t need to fear or worry. Instead, we take our needs to God with thanksgiving and trust that He is a good father who will meet all our needs. All will be well.
3. God is always with you.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Philippians 4:4-5
The Lord is near. Always. We can rejoice always because the Lord is near to us always. Last week we heard that Paul’s true source of joy came from knowing he was accepted by God. It was his relationship with God that brought Paul joy and Paul knew that there was nothing that could separate him from God. The Lord was near to him always. God’s love was with him always. God’s love is with us always. Always. .
Jesus said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. He will not only be with us, but he will be for us. Paul said,
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32
God doesn’t just love us and forgive us but that He is for us. He has our back. He is in our corner. He is cheering us on and even through the difficult times and times we feel seated or in despair, God is still there. There can be joy in adversity because God is there.
We can rejoice in the Lord always and experience joy always if we can develop a lifestyle of gratitude and thanksgiving. To do this:
1. Focus on what is good.
2. Know that all will be well because God is good.
3. Know that God is always with you.
Each one of these brings its own joy, but together they help us rejoice always and experience joy always. No matter what you might be going through today, no matter what adversity or trials might be, no matter what limitations and setbacks you are experiencing, joy is possible because the Lord is near. So rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again… Rejoice.
Next Steps
Joy in Adversity - Rejoice Always
Read Philippians 4
Gratitude can bring joy.
Cultivate a lifestyle of gratitude.
Focus on all that is good. Philippians 4:8-9
Take time to count your blessings each day this week.
Share your list of blessings with others.
Know that all will be well. Philippians 4:11-13
Why was Paul not worried or anxious? Philippians 4:6-7
How does worry steal our joy?
What kinds of things do you worry about?
How does Jesus tell us to deal with worry? Matthew 6:25-33
God is always with you. Philippians 4:4-5, Romans 8:31-32
When do you experience the Lord being near to you?
When does He feel far away?
How might you feel God’s presence more consistently?
Next Steps to experiencing joy in gratitude
1. Be mindful of those who are making a difference in your life. Take time each day to think of someone who is important in your life. Give thanks for them. Pray for them.
2. Do something - say “thank you.” Send a thank you note.
Express your thanks and appreciation in some tangible way.
