All The Good Things

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

In returning to some sort of “new normal” after the pandemic lockdown, I found myself busier than ever. I kept a packed schedule, passionately pursuing all the blessings that came with budgeting my time. I kept my Sabbath, but the other six days were filled with work, workouts, community, volunteering, and quiet time. Even when it felt exhausting, I truly enjoyed it all; I knew God was in every moment with me.

I didn’t see it as a problem until God removed most of my commitments when I least expected it. There, in the stillness, God revealed the problem to me: I was happy, I was busy, but more than anything, I was also anxious. “Living the dream” is only so great, until the daily routine consumes more of you than you ever expected. I was so busy working that I didn’t give my soul enough time to truly rest. At the end of the day, was I truly giving God my all…or all I had left?

When the lockdown restrictions were lifted, I feared that I could easily lose all of these good things again. My mind was focused on all these amazing things that God gave me, so why was I anxious at all? I didn’t feel the usual wave of panic; I felt abnormally busy with little time to sit down. Wasn’t I doing as Paul commanded in Philippians 4:8 – to think about the good and praiseworthy things? Shouldn’t that be enough?

But before Philippians 4:8 come verses 6-7. The context here is particularly important, as Paul gives us a battle plan to combat anxiety. He says:

“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.” (NIV)

If I’m going to live free from anxiety, I need to actively fight against it in my mind. It’s not enough to simply say “don’t be anxious”. If I stop reading there, I not only invalidate my emotions, I miss the strategy to overcome. My therapist helps me identify any triggers and gives me advice on how to cope. Similarly, Paul gives us a battle plan in Scripture, which requires a few actions steps:

1. Surrender to God: Rather than ruminating on all the unknowns, I pray. I express my gratitude for all the things God has entrusted me with and I praise him for all that he will do. I ask God for what I want, while accepting his sovereign will (v.6).

Notice how Paul doesn’t say to take control of the situation. He knows we don’t have the power or strength to do that; only God does. And when we surrender to God, we freely hand it all over to him, who is above it all.

2. Own your thoughts: This step requires some mental awareness and knowing what thoughts are in my head. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says “we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (NIV). While this verse is not in Philippians, Paul writes this to the church in Corinth to express the importance of knowing what thoughts we think. It emphasis the value of Philippians 4:8, that we think about good things, because our thought lives have a large influence on us each day. This can be incredibly challenging, especially when anxiety comes at its worst; however, it is something I can control and take responsibility for. I ask myself “are my thoughts glorifying God?” and then I act on what I notice. Some days, this looks like fixing one thought. Other times, it’s multiple redirections to keep my focus on God and all he’s doing in my life.

I’ve learned that my thoughts can be the hardest to manage when I’m tired, when I’m scrolling on social media, and when I immerse myself in worldly media. I turn off the news, I delete that app, and I open my Bible. I declare the truths of who I am in Christ and what Jesus says about me. The enemy already roams the earth; he doesn’t need to occupy my headspace.

3. Prioritize: This step is where I got it wrong and why I was anxious in the busyness. In Philippians 4:8, Paul tells us what to meditate on: the true, the noble, the right, the pure, the lovely, the admirable, the praiseworthy. In the middle of an anxiety attack, focusing on these things is a great way to redirect my attention. But in the day-to-day hustle, it takes my gaze off of the Lord and places the emphasis onto imperfect things. It’s not that my work or my community was bad, but over time, I became so consumed with these things that they gradually shifted my focus away from God. Was I really glorifying these gifts over God, who gave them to me?

I prayed and worshipped my way through my commute, and my community challenged me in my faith. Things seemed all good and godly. But at the end of the day, I would have little energy to get into Scripture and be still before God. That part wasn’t so great. I gave myself grace, but I needed to revise my schedule and make quiet time a priority. I learned not to idolize my routines. I had to become less strict with my commitments. And instead, I sought God before I said “yes” or “no” to all that was asked of me. 

It’s not enough to just meditate on all the good things. I need to invite God into every step, every moment, every detail of this walk. So yes, think about all these things. But let God be first. Go to him first. Tell him all the good things. Be honest about the not-so-good. And don’t forget the greatest, most praiseworthy gift is salvation. Jesus embodied all of these admirable traits and he gives us eternal hope. Anxiety is already defeated by the cross; we just need to walk in the freedom he freely gives. My job is to continue praying and allow God to be in control. God’s responsibility is to give me peace in place of panic. And when I shift from a place of striving to surrender, I find true freedom. I finally experience lasting peace and rest.