Freedom is Good News Part 51

We have been looking at (what I have called) Paul’s remedy for sorrow and grief, found in his letter to the Philippians 4:4-7.  In it, he tells us to rejoice.  He tells us God is near.  He tells us not to be anxious about anything.  He tells us to pray and petition God with thanksgiving.  And so now, He tells us what the results of these things will be!  “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I was talking to a woman some time ago.  Her life was not pleasant.  She felt trapped in a horrible marriage.  Her husband was a cheater and he was verbally abusive to her.  She told me that when she felt she was at the end of her rope one evening, she dropped to her knees before God and told Him she didn’t want her life anymore, that He could have it and that she only wanted to serve Him.  She related to me how at that moment she felt the greatest sense of peace envelope her.  She knew that God was with her and had given her this peace – a peace that, as Paul expressed it, transcended all of her understanding.  Her problems had not gone away but she now had God very near to her and she felt loved.

This story still brings a tear to my eye for I know some of the hurt and turmoil she had to endure.  But this story gives me hope.  Hope for my times of trials and problems and hope for you in your times of grief and sorrow. 

This God we serve, this God who cares for us and provides for us and protects us, will “guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  Paul speaks no empty words here.  His words are filled to the brim with “good news”.  And yet, he does not stop here.  He truly gives us the remedy for every problem, sin, grief or sorrow we may encounter, in the very next verse.  Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, 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.”

Did you know that our minds are malleable?  (Webster’s second definition: “capable of being changed, molded or trained; adaptable.)  We all change our minds from time to time, so we know it is possible.  But these eight terms Paul uses here; true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy will transform our minds in a Godly way.  If we focus on these concepts and train our minds to muse upon “what so ever is” true, noble, right etc, we will be godly people!

Do we need to change our minds?  Do we need to transform them?  In Paul’s letter to the Romans Paul uses an imperative to command us to do just this very thing.  In Romans 12:2 he says, “Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”  This society we live in strives to have us conformed to its pattern.  Paul says no!  God says no!  We need godly minds.

And that’s good news!