“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5-7, ESV)
Advent reminds us of the love and joy that are ours in Christ Jesus. Thus, even though we live in the midst of a world filled with pain, violence, and sin masquerading as righteousness, we can, as Paul states, rejoice in the Lord. Paul tells us not to feel angry, anxious or negative but to rejoice in the midst of and despite our tribulation and suffering.
Paul is not giving us mere platitudes here. He knew that what he was talking about was difficult to do. He was one who endured a lot of suffering as well as violence from those who opposed the gospel of grace, both inside the church and in the communities he visited. Yet he says we should be joyful and contented. We should thank God for what we have rather than what we do not. That is a hard thing to do. We can accomplish it only by the grace and strength of the Lord. Therefore we are to focus on God’s sufficiency to carry us through every trial and meet every need, not on our impotence or the promises of others. This is why our lives are difficult and filled with woe. We have forgotten the love and power of Almighty God. We have forgotten that He always keeps His promises. As we trust Him, He will give us peace in the midst of our struggles.
In addition, we must focus on the good things of the Lord and what He is doing. There is just so much negative news in our world that it is a struggle to remember all the wonders of the universe that the Lord has set in place. And as far as the bad things that happen and all the suffering that we human beings endure, we should work to alleviate that suffering through the use of our time, talents and finances. We should work to counteract the evil in the world by doing and praising what is right, good, and true rather than praising those cultural icons, politicians, business men, and celebrities who seek glory for themselves. All glory and honor belong to the Lord.