God never commands us to do what he does not enable us to do. And through Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, in modern-day northeastern Greece, God both tells us to rejoice and also gives us great reason to rejoice–whatever we are facing in life.
Steven J. Lawson
Joy is a spiritual grace that we all need to experience in our Christian lives. We live in a world of stress and anxiety that all too easily and subtly can steal the peace of God from our hearts. We need an abundant, overflowing joy to flood our souls. The book of Philippians is written for that very purpose to point us to that joy. It does so by focusing us on the gospel. There is a repeated emphasis upon the good news of salvation that is in God’s Son, Jesus Christ (1 v 5, 7, 12, 16, 27;2 v 22; 4 v 3, 15). Paul places great stress upon the saving message of the gospel, as well as the need for us to live it out in our daily lives. The believers needed a gospel focus. We are no different.
But Philippians also produces joy in us by showing us how to grow in holiness. This letter teaches us much about how to live the Christian life. Paul will tell us that we bear great responsibility to work out our salvation in fear and trembling (2 v 12-13). At the same time, he will instruct us that it is God who is at work within us for his good pleasure. Expect to grow in a desire for holiness and a life of holiness as you walk through this letter.
Reflection:
Every book of the Bible serves a specific purpose. When approaching a new book, we should always ask ourselves: Why did God include this particular book in His Word? Philippians, a letter from the Apostle Paul, is written for our joy.
In Philippians, we learn that true joy from God primarily stems from the gospel itself. It is the experience of being drawn into relationship with God through Jesus Christ that brings us joy. The grace of God transforms everything through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Furthermore, joy comes from aligning ourselves with God’s heart. The Holy Spirit enters our lives through Christ and awakens us to God’s ways. As we align ourselves with God, we immerse ourselves in joy because God is the source of joy.
So, do you seek joy? Consider spending several weeks reading and meditating on Philippians. God will reveal what He has done for you to bring you joy and what He plans to do in you to deepen that joy.
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