What is our currency of care?
We worry because it matters. I recently had a conversation with my family about this topic. It seems that every generation in our family has expressed their care for something or someone through concern. Concern is not a bad thing. But there’s a thin line between concern and worry.
That’s where we get ourselves in trouble: when worry or anxiety becomes the currency of our care. Our measure of love begins to equate with the amount of anxiety we feel. And should we have a moment where God’s peace covers our anxious hearts, we begin to question if we care at all.
Recently, I had a moment like that. I was thinking about a loved one’s health and praying over an upcoming surgery they have scheduled. And all I felt was peace. Rather than take that as a sign of comfort from the Comforter Himself, I started to panic that I wasn’t panicking. Shouldn’t I care more? Shouldn’t I feel more anxious? Why can’t I worry about this?
There’s a thin line between concern and worry.
Better question: What if the currency of care is changing?
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV: 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.
It appears that the means by which we have expressed the importance of a situation – anxiousness and worry – is not acceptable to God. He would much rather we exchange our coins of concern for His peace. But what is the rate of exchange here? How do we go about this?
Philippians 4:6 is a command. Something we’re just meant to do. But God isn’t some kind of tyrant just barking orders. There’s got to be more to this. Let’s do the thing I love most: put it in context. Time to go digging…
What if the currency of care is changing?
Philippians chapter 4 begins with the word “therefore,” indicating a structural relationship known as causation. In other words, the contents of Paul’s message from that point on are the effect of a previously established cause. So what we suspected is true: God didn’t just bark out a command. He must have said or done something before this to cause verse 6 to be possible.
The fun part about digging through the Bible is that there is no shortage of treasure to be found. In keeping with our currency analogy, there’s gold coin after gold coin waiting to be discovered. So much that we don’t have the time to count it all in this one blog. But let’s back up, just a few verses, to Philippians 3:21. This is the first treasure to mine out: who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
God isn’t some kind of tyrant just barking orders. There’s got to be more to this.
Obviously, verse 21 is a continuation of verse 20, hence the incomplete thought you see above. But I want us to focus on that first parenthetical phrase: by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control. Paul is talking about Jesus. He is affirming that He has the power to make everything subject to Him.
By the way, in case you were wondering, “everything” in the biblical Greek means … (drumroll please) … everything. It leaves out nothing. And from here, chapter 4 begins: Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
The fun part about digging through the Bible is that there is no shortage of treasure to be found.
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