‘How to get through tough times’ is related to what Chinua Achebe once wrote: “when trouble knocks at your door and you tell it that you have no more stools left for it to sit on, it will tell you that it had come along with its own stool”. This analogy applies to tough times. You never know when tough times come. And when they come, they have come.
”4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 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. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9New International Version (NIV)
The Letter to the Philippians
Philippians is a letter that Apostle Paul wrote to the church that he had planted in the city of Philippi. This is the church that he founded during his second missionary journey in AD 49-50 (under the guidance of the Spirit [Acts 16:16-40]).
So successful was Paul’s ministry in Philippi that when he left the city, the Philippian Christians sent him support from time to time. In fact, he wrote this letter in response to a gift that the Philippians had recently sent him. For once, he wasn’t responding to a question or a problem, but to a gift. Clearly, the Philippians loved him, and he loved them back.
Paul’s Imprisonment
Apostle Paul wrote this letter when he had been placed under house arrest in Rome in AD 60-62. In this letter, Paul disclosed some of the things that heavily weighed on his mind. It is clear that the imprisonment had taken a toll on his mind. He speaks of his death as a welcome relief from his present suffering (1:20).
He was torn between remaining alive and dying. He was anxious.
But in his anxiety, he wrote to encourage the believers in Philippi who were under the constant threat of persecution from those outside the church. He exhorts them to be joyful.
How to Get Through Tough Times
You and find ourselves in the midst of a threatening global crisis. A crisis that has been occasioned by COVID-19 or Coronavirus, if you like.
The news (reports) around this virus is that of deaths, uncertainty and loss of control. These have teamed up and created great anxiety amongst us. Many that I have interacted with have voiced their concerns about not being able to meet their financial obligations, particular rent.
Be Joyful
But Paul strongly encourages us to three things that will greatly help you and I to get through the tough times. Therefore, Paul first encourages us to be joyful and “let our gentleness be known to everyone”. But how are we to do this? Paul reminds us that the Lord is at hand. In other words, the Lord is with us in this situation.
Therefore, let us be gentle for the Lord is with us. He promised to never leave us or forsake us. He will remain true to His name ‘Emmanuel’ – God with us. We’re therefore not abandoned or alone in this situation.
Avoid and Reject Anxiety
Secondly, Paul continues on to urge us to “avoid and reject anxiety about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, we let our requests be made known to God”. Anxiety is simply over concern with the present and future circumstances, sometimes even wild imaginations.
Anxiety is a relative of fear. But the Bible’s common counsel is for you and I not to fear. In other words, “do not be anxious”.
Why should you be anxious? Because you can pray to and petition God about your anxieties. Prayer and petition are the technologies that we have for transferring our anxiety to God. In response, God will not let us down. He responds appropriately.
In addition, giving thanks is a confession that you have chosen not to be anxious. Instead, you have chosen to transfer your anxieties to God and rely on Him thereafter. He is not only reliable, He is faithful. He grants you His peace in return. A peace that cannot be understood because it is a peace enjoyed in the midst of tough times. It is a peace that God aims at guarding our minds and hearts in tough times.
Choose Excellent or Praiseworthy Things
Finally, Paul encourages us to choose the excellent or praiseworthy things during these tough times. That is why I want to urge you to not spend your quarantine moments on the overwhelming information or reports about Coronavirus and its devastating effects around the world.
Despite the high probability of execution, Paul thought about the future and what he would be able to achieve in his ministry after imprisonment. These thoughts are captured in Philippians 1:22-26 as below.
“22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.”
Philippians 1:22-26New International Version (NIV)
Thoughts about the future kept Paul going. This choice will also keep you going.
I want to assure you that God will get us through this pandemic. He will also get us to a bright future ahead. Keep the faith!
Prayer
Thank you God for your word of encouragement in these tough times. Thank you for promises that remain true. I pray that you will grant peace to him or her that will lift up their prayer and petition of anxiety to You. I praise You and exalt Your Name for You will keep us and get us through these tough times. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
Additional Resources
