Responding to the Pressures of Life

Thinking God’sWay, Lesson 5

Thinking God’sWay is a series of Bible studies that help believers meditate on theWord of God for the purpose of Christian growth. Each lesson features a verseof Scripture in English and the original language (whether Hebrew or Greek). Italso provides basic background information, followed by basic word definitionsand other key insights. Each lesson concludes with some questions formeditation and for applying the truth to life.

InitialThoughts

Life isgrueling, life is tough, and life is filled with a deluge of pressures, big andsmall. As these pressures pile on you day after day, they threaten to stealyour joy and peace away – which you have in Christ. Rather than focus on thetruth of the gospel, you obsess over the difficulties you face instead, hopingto solve your problems by your own ingenuity and effort. In this verse,Philippians 4:6, Paul teaches a better way, one that enables you to navigateyour trials happily, with peace and rejoicing.

Key Verse:Philippians 4:6

In English(NKJV)

Be anxious fornothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, letyour requests be made known to God.

In Greek

μηδεν μεριμνατε αλλ εν παντι τη προσευχη και τη δεησειμετα ευχαριστιας τα αιτηματα υμων γνωριζεσθω προς τον θεον

English andGreek Together

Be anxious fornothing (μηδεν μεριμνατε), but in everything (αλλ εν παντι) by prayer and supplication (τη προσευχη και τη δεησει), with thanksgiving (μετα ευχαριστιας), let your requests (τα αιτηματα υμων) bemade known to God (γνωριζεσθω προςτον θεον).

BackgroundInformation

This statementappears in the final section of Paul’s letter to the believers in Philippi. Hewrote this letter from a jail cell in Rome, where he was imprisoned for hisgospel outreach efforts. The believers in Philippi were facing difficulties oftheir own, not only from a secular, unbelieving world outside that opposedthem, but also between one another in the church (Phil 4:2).

Thesechallenges threatened to turn their focus away from the gospel, diminishingtheir joy and disturbing their peace. This verse appears in a series ofinstructions Paul gave to steer their minds back in the right direction.

Keywords and their Meanings

Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006) together with an interlinear Bible, like The NKJV Greek English Interlinear New Testament (Thomas Nelson, 1994) is an excellent way to get accurate definitions for your Bible study based upon Greek and Hebrew meanings.Be anxious (μεριμνάω): “to be anxious; to expend careful thought; to concern one’s self; to have the thoughts occupied with.” This word describes a worried or concerned state of mind, as in a person who is experiencing anxiety.

• Nothing(μηδείς): “not one, none, no one” – as in nobody or nothing. It isa negative adjective that cancels out whatever is being addressed in the immediatecontext.

• Everything(πᾶς): “all, whole, entire” – as in everybody or everything. Thisis a positive adjective and is the opposite of μηδείς. It includes (not cancelsout) everything that is being addressed in the immediate context.

• Prayer(προσευχή): “prayer.” This is a general word that portrays speakingto God and making requests to him.

• Supplication(δέησις): “entreaty, prayer, supplication.” In some cases, it may describethe kind of prayer that is based upon a personal sense of need and may alsofeature an added sense of urgency beyond just “speaking” to God.

• Thanksgiving(εὑχαριστία): “gratitude, thankfulness.” This refers to a range ofthankfulness, from feelings of gratitude within to words of gratitude spokenaloud.

• Requests(αἴτημα): “a thing asked or sought for; a petition, request.” Whileπροσευχή refers to the general act of speaking to God, δέησις describes thekind of speaking that should take place (the kind that depends on God to meet aneed), and εὑχαριστία describes the manner in which the speaking should occur(a “thankful” manner), this word refers to the actual prayer requeststhemselves – the specific things you should be asking for.

• Makeknown (γνωρίζω): “to make known, reveal, declare.”This describes the act (or process) of passing along information from yourinner thoughts to someone else so that they will also know what you arethinking.

• God (θεός): “God, the true Godhead.” This is a general word for godsor supernatural beings, used commonly in a singular, direct way to refer to theone true God who is supreme over any other so-called gods, whether real orimagined. It refers to God “who made the world and everything in it” (Acts17:24).

Other KeyInsights

The verbs (beanxious and be made known) are written in the present tense,describing linear action or behavior that takes place over time rather than inisolated moments.

Questions forMeditation and Reflection

What is thedifference between thinking about something in a responsible way and being“anxious” about it?

This verse does not teach us to not think about the challengeswe face, somehow “putting them out of our minds.” Nor does it teach us to adoptan hakuna matata mentality by pretending as though there are no problemsor troubles at all.

We doface trials and problems of all kinds, and we do need to think about them. Yetwe should learn the difference between thinking about them (which is necessaryand wise) and allowing them to consume our thoughts to the point of worry andanxiety.

What are someof the many things that cause stress and anxiety in our minds?

Relationship problems,financial difficulties, struggles with sin, political and social hostility,family pressures, cultural expectations, schedule overload, unanswered questions,priority conflicts, spiritual decisions, and more.

What is theopposite of worry, stress, and anxiety?

Peace, restfulness,and tranquility (see Phil 4:7). Speaking to God about your problems does notguarantee that your problems will go away, but it does enable you to replace innerworry, stress, and anxiety with a true inner peace that comes from God.

What does itmean to pray “with thanksgiving”?

We should bethankful for “all things” and “everyone” that God allows into our lives,including those things and people who tend to cause anxiety in our minds. Ratherthan obsess about these troublesome things (and people) we should speak to Godabout them in a way expresses gratitude for the opportunity these things (andpeople) present to us. We should speak to God about these things (and people) froma thankful frame of mind, not a stressed-out one.

Why is it importantto “reveal” your requests to God?

God alreadyknows what you need (Matt 6:8). So revealing your requests to him is not amatter of informing him about things he doesn’t know. Instead, it is his way ofencouraging you to communicate with him so that you learn to trust him ratherthan yourself. It’s one way of saying, “Don’t just talk to yourself about yourproblems, talk to God instead.”

Why is itimportant for you to address your prayers directly to God?

Sometimes weverbalize our problems and requests in vague and general ways, which does nogood. We’re teaching our children to do this at the kitchen table. Instead ofannouncing, “I need some milk please!” we want them to speak to another personby name to request their help, such as “Joshua, can you pass me the milkplease?”

When you know thatyou’ve spoken to God and have consciously considered his sovereign and caringnature, then you can set your mind at ease knowing that you have trusted himabout your specific need.

A PersonalTranslation

Before youconsider how to apply this truth to your life by allowing it to change yourmindset and approach to life, write out a personal translation. Use what youhave learned  to write this verse in yourown words.

Questions forPersonal Application

1. On ascale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being very stressed out and 10 being totallyprayerful), how would you describe your mindset and approach to the pressuresof your life?
2. Namesome of the things, both large and small (be specific), that distract your mindand draw you into worry and anxiety?
3. Howfrequently (or regularly) do you turn your anxieties into requests?
4. Doyou make specific requests, or do you pray in vague generalities?
5. Doyou speak directly and personally to God, or do you pray indirectly andimpersonally?
6. Areyou mindful of the character and nature of God – as God – when you speak tohim?
7. Doyou recognize any change in your mindset and feelings when you take thisbiblical approach?
8. Basedupon the kind of lifestyle that you have (your pressures at home, at school, atwork, with extended family, at church, regarding money, regarding healthchallenges, regarding friends, and regarding anything else), how frequently doyou need to be doing what this verse teaches? (Is once a day enough?)