Ponder of the Week
* Read and reread the scripture each day.
* Ask God to show you His truth through His Word.
* Ponder the scripture as you go about your day.
* Keep a record of your spiritual growth and understanding.
See thoughts on how to ponder on the "'Ponder' of the Week" main page and on the HOME page
Week 12/22-28/2024
Suggested Scriptures to Ponder this week:
Philippians 4:6-7
Psalm 34:4
Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)​
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I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
​Psalm 34:4 (NKJV)
Commentary:
We live in a culture of fear. Anxiety is expected, promoted, even in some ways glorified. But God does not want us to live in fear. God is the God of perfect love, and perfect love casts out fear (I John 4:18). God wants to cast our fear out, but we have to let go of it. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds from anxiety when we bring our needs to God in prayer, asking Him to take care of our concerns. He will cast our fears out and guard us from them, when we bring our anxieties to Him with thanksgiving, thanking Him for taking care of us even when we don't yet see how He will do that. This is giving our fear to Him and trusting Him, having faith, even the tiny mustard seed of faith, that He will do what He said He will do. Like the desperate father, fearful for the life of his child, we need only cry out to God "Lord I believe, help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) and He will hear and answer.
One might say that they can't help but fear, that fearful thoughts just keep coming back. We sometimes have to make a determined effort, a decision, that we will not think on those thoughts; that when those thoughts attack, we will immediately and constantly turn them over to our Lord. He has promised to guard our hearts and minds. We can call for help from our "guard" and learn not to let the enemy in. Philippians 4:8 goes on to instruct what we should train our minds to think on. God would not tell us to "think (or meditate) on these things" if it was not in our power, with His help, to learn to control our thoughts.
We are to be in constant communion with Him (Ephesians 6:18). We can live in His perfect peace if we will give our anxieties totally and finally to Him, with prayer and thanksgiving, keeping our thoughts on His word rather than the fears of the world swirling around us on this temporary earth.