REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS

We can't run the world, but we can entrust it to God. Peace is within reach, not for lack of problems, but for the presence of a sovereign Lord. Rather than rehearse the chaos of the world, we can choose to rejoice in the Lord's sovereignty.

Max Lucado

OPENING REFLECTION

When I (Jenna) was growing up, my dad had school drop-off duty. And without fail, every morning as he slowed the car to a stop and we hurriedly unbuckled our seat belts, grabbed our backpacks, and threw open the doors, he would give the same exhortation: "Girls, have a good day. Laugh a lot. Learn a lot. And don't forget who gave it to ya."

I never thought much about the phrase growing up. My sisters and I would just robotically say it with him and then quickly yell, "Okay, Dad!" before slamming the car doors shut.

Laugh, learn, remember.

As a young girl I naturally did just that. Laughing came easily. Learning was fun. Remembering God as the giver of my day? It wasn't always on my mind, but I never doubted God was with me and cared for me.

But then I started to grow up. And with growing up came more responsibility. And with more responsibility came anxiety. It wasn't long before homework hours lengthened, friends hurt me, and I hurt them. Pretty soon I was taking my SATs, learning how to interview for jobs, paying bills. Marriage brought deep joy, but also deep struggles. Cancer invaded the family, and my heroes in life passed away. Babies were born — yet another level of worry.

The older I got, the less I naturally lived my dad's exhortation to laugh, learn, and remember. The serious struggles of life squelched laughter. The joy of learning turned into pressure to achieve. And remembering God? The anxieties of life pushed out thoughts of him.

That's why it's hard for me to accept Paul's words in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always." Always? How are we supposed to do that with the pain and anxiety of life?

In this session, we will see that rejoicing in the Lord does not mean we are in a constant state of excitement. We don't have to carry a guitar around and sing worship songs all day. It's not about plastering on a fake smile as we walk through a dark time. No, rejoicing in the Lord always is about a deep remembering.

Remembering that the Lord is here, always.

Remembering that the Lord is in control, always.

Remembering that the Lord is not only the giver of your day but also the ordainer of every minute inside of it, always.

Remembering that amidst the pressures, pain, and anxiety in life, he is sovereign, always.

As we remember, I have an inkling we may discover the carefree child we used to be. Laughing a lot more. Learning a lot more. And not forgetting who is with us through it all.

TALK ABOUT IT

Welcome to the first session of Anxious for Nothing. If you or any of your fellow group members do not know one another, take a few minutes to introduce yourselves. Next, to get things started, discuss one of the following questions:

• What interested you about this study? What do you hope to learn, and how do you hope to change because of it?

or

• Describe someone in your life who embodies what it means to "rejoice in the Lord always." What does this person do or say to exude a heart with this attitude toward God?

HEARING THE WORD

Read Philippians 4:4–8 aloud as a group. This will be the theme passage for the next five sessions, so try to look at these words with new eyes and an open heart. Then read it again silently, circling or underlining words that stand out to you.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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.

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.

Turn to the person next to you and take turns sharing your answers to the following questions:

What was one thing that stood out to you from the passage?

Why do these words stand out to you, and what fresh insight do they bring?

What does "rejoicing in the Lord" mean? In your life, have you found it difficult or natural to rejoice in the Lord? Why?

VIDEO TEACHING NOTES

Play the video segment for session one. As you watch, use the following outline to record any thoughts or concepts that stand out to you.

Anxiety is not so much the onslaught of a storm as the continual threat that one is coming. It's a big heap of "what ifs."

The word anxiety actually comes from a Latin root that means "to choke" or "to squeeze." Its strong grip interrupts your sleep, chokes your energy, and harms your overall well-being.

Anxiety is a close cousin to fear, but the two are not twins. Fear sees a threat, while anxiety imagines one.

We have been taught the Christian life is one of peace. When we don't have peace, we assume the problem is within us, which leads us to feel guilty. But while the presence of anxiety is unavoidable, the prison of anxiety is optional.

When Paul writes to "be anxious for nothing," he is referring to an ongoing state. His words could be translated, "Don't let anything in life leave you perpetually in angst and breathless."

Paul's prescription for anxiety is a call to "rejoice in the Lord" This is not a call to a feeling but to a decision.

The sovereignty of God refers to his perfect governing over all things. God works in and through every detail of his creation to accomplish his divine purpose. We have the astounding privilege to be a part of this perfect plan.

To rejoice in the Lord, we must have a deep belief in his sovereignty over our lives. The more we believe in his control, the more we relinquish our control.

BIBLE STUDY AND GROUP DISCUSSION

Take a few minutes with your group members to discuss what you just watched and explore these concepts in Scripture.

1. Before everyone shares in the large group, turn to one or two people next to you and finish this sentence: "After watching the video, one question I now have is ..."

2. Stress-related ailments cost the United States billions of dollars every year. Why do you think the nation leading much of the world in infrastructure, education, democracy, and more is also leading the world in anxiety? Why would Americans suffer from anxiety more than people of lesser...