Philippians 4:6

Not only are the will and the passions to be bridled and silenced, but anxieties also. We are in relationship with God; in all things He is our refuge; and events do not disturb Him. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows everything, He knows it beforehand; events shake neither His throne, nor His heart; they always accomplish His purposes. But to us He is love; we are through grace the objects of His tender care. He listens to us and bows down His ear to hear us.

If we could translate this verse: "Do not let your hearts be filled with care," I think it would give the meaning better. The word translated 'Be careful' comes from the word for care as we see it in 1 Peter 5:7: "Casting all your care upon Him," or, "The care of this world" in Matt. 13:22, that chokes the Word. God's way to get rid of this care that so often saps our very life, is to cast it all on Him.

But we should note that the word meaning anxious care, can have a good meaning, as well as an evil: for instance we see it in Phil. 2:20, where Timothy "naturally cares" for the state of the Philippian saints. In 1 Cor. 12:25 the members of the body should have the same care one for another: and Paul's heaviest burden was the care of all the churches (2 Cor. 11:28).

The care of this world chokes in its growth the Word of God, surcharging the hearts of those who give to anything but Christ a settled place in their affections. It is accordingly prohibited as positively to the believer as joy in the Lord is enjoined. For care is incompatible with trust; and to cast all our care on Him who takes thought for His children without neglecting the very sparrows is the only just return which we can make for the all-gracious and heart-sufficing declaration of His Name. If we call upon the Father we should have the children's trust.

It is not the part of the saint to resent wrong, or to contend for rights ... Meanwhile it is our privilege to be without care, making known all our requests to God. Not merely large matters, but small also; everything we are invited to pour out before Him. In Matt. 6. the Lord Jesus instructed His disciples in faith as to food and clothing; here the word is wider, "Be careful for nothing."

There are, I think, in the Greek New Testament (if we count "thanksgiving") seven different words for prayer: and we have four of them in our present verse. The first, translated "prayer", tells us of prayer in general, — of any address to God. The second, "supplication" tells of prayer for particular needs or benefits. The first is only used of prayer to God: the second may also be used towards our fellow-men.

Actually it does not say "your prayer and your supplication," but "the prayer and the supplication". ... It is as though the Apostle was thinking: "by the prayer and by the supplication, which of course you will make".

Prayer is asking for things, you come to God and you voice your request; but supplication is a continual appealing to God. There are two words which are translated supplication, but it is the constant appeal to God that we have in this verse, and coupled with that a note of thanksgiving to God.

Prayer, therefore, and supplication — the first to utter the devotional trust and declare the general desires to Godward of the soul, the second to urge our sense of special need — are in every case to supersede the fruitless and care-laden self-communings of nature.

To prayer is added thanksgiving, because the Lord is entitled to it. The heart should not forget what a God we are making our requests to. In the confidence of this let us thank Him, even when we are spreading our wants before Him.

With these are to be joined perpetual thanksgiving, which is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us. For all who come with understanding to the throne of Grace know well before they ask for anything that they have received already far more than they can possibly desire in the gift unspeakable of God's own Son.

Even while making our petition to Him, we can already give thanks, because we are sure of the answer of His grace, be it what it may; and it is our requests that we are to present to Him.

The husband quietly replied, "The Scripture says in every thing give thanks, so we'll go into the sitting room and kneel down and thank the Lord". "You may", she replied, "but I can't". So the husband went in alone, and knelt and gave thanks. A few days later, the dear wife had learned this hard lesson, and came to her husband saying: "My dear, if you'll come into the sitting room again, I'll kneel with you and give thanks also". And they did.

Nor is it a cold commandment to find out His will and then come: we are to go with our requests. Hence it does not say, you will have what you ask; but God's peace will keep your hearts.

This scripture invites us to turn everything into a matter of prayer, and freely make known our requests to God. There is no guarantee, you notice, that all our requests will be granted. That would never do for our understanding is very limited and consequently we often ask for that which, if granted to us, would be neither to the glory of our Lord nor to our own blessing. What is guaranteed is that our hearts and minds shall be guarded by the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.

We may be anxious as to nothing, because prayerful as to everything, and thankful for anything.

It is not simply the great trials that we are to take to God, but the small worries. The little thing that worries might appear foolish or fanciful to others, nevertheless let us not weary ourselves with reasoning about it in our minds, but by prayer and supplication make it known to God. He knows all about the burden before we go to Him. We cannot tell Him anything that He does not know; but making it known we know that He knows. In result we are relieved from anxiety. It does not follow that we get our request, but we obtain the peace of God to garrison our hearts.

Wearied by a trial that made her fret and weep, there came a moment when she "poured out her soul before the Lord," with the result that, though her circumstances were not altered or her prayer answered, she went on her way "in peace," and was "no more sad" (1 Samuel 1: 6, 7, 15-18).

Still, though there are a thousand and one matters in our lives that we could hardly present to God in prayer as being directly connected with the Name and interests of Christ, yet we have full liberty to present them to God, and indeed are bidden to do so. As we do so we may be in the enjoyment of the peace of God.

It does not say that our hearts shall keep the peace of God; but, having cast our burden on Him whose peace nothing can disturb, His peace keeps our hearts. Our trouble is before Him, and the constant peace of the God of love, who takes charge of everything and knows all beforehand, quiets our disburdened hearts, and imparts to us the peace which is in Himself and which is above all understanding ... Oh, what grace! that even our anxieties are a means of our being filled with this marvellous peace, if we know how to bring them to God.