Think of These Things

The book of Philippians is one of my favourite Bible books. The selected versus are wonderful exhortations for all of us, recognizing that exhortations are challenges paired with encouragement.

Philippians 4:4-9

To rejoice “always” is the first challenge.

The next challenge is to let your gentleness be evident to “all”, even those who make life miserable for you.

The third challenge is not to be anxious about “anything”.

And finally Paul challenges us about how we “think”, directing us to find the things that are worth thinking about, those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. This assumes that we, as Christians, can control our thoughts and that our thought-life can be characterized by what is good and uplifting. Negative thoughts lead to negative results, negative lives. Thoughts based on truth bring positive results in our lives. Paul is confident that we can control the thoughts that control our lives, can reject those things that do not draw us closer to God, and can consciously focus on the things that do. We have the ability to choose what we think about.

Paul reminds the Philippian believers of all that he has taught them in both words and actions. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me put into practice, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Ron MacKinnon