READ

Philippians 4:7-9: ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable— if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy— dwell on these things. ⁹ Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

EXAMINE

In this passage, Paul reminds us that those who are in Christ can experience the very peace of God because we belong to the God of Peace! These verses demonstrate how a biblical mindset is crucial to experience maturity in our faith journey. This encouraging letter to the church at Philippi serves as a reminder for us today to learn, meditate on, and put into practice the Word of God so we can grow deeper in our love for Him.

APPLY

Our days are full of incoming messages competing for the attention of our mind and affection of our hearts. In this whirlwind of constant communication, it is easy to become distracted by the worries of our world. This leads to a drift from the valuable truth of God’s Word, which ultimately causes discouragement. But Paul reminds us in this passage that we serve a God who is with us and guards our hearts and minds with His peace. When we surrender our cares to God and meditate instead on what is “true, pure, lovely, and worthy of praise,” we make room in our hearts and minds to enjoy the peace and presence of God!'

PRAY

Ask God to show you what distractions are taking up space in your mind and heart today. Are there any worries you haven’t fully surrendered to Him? Any lies you need to replace with truth from God’s Word? Pray for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit as He reveals these things to you. Spend time meditating on His Word until it resonates in your heart. Practice this throughout your day and ask Him to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.