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. (Philippians 4:4-7)
G E N T L E N E S S : yielding, bearing with each other with patience, not asserting power
N E A R : a couple ways of looking at this one. 1. His Presence is always with us, watching over us, calming us into with his gentleness. 2. His return is near and motivates our actions.
I like to focus on the first meaning. Rejoice in the Lord. Feel calm and yielding in his close presence. Lay down our anxieties in conversation with him. Thank him. And His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Lord Jesus, we need you. We need your calming presence in us, near us, surrounding us. Help us to lay down our burdens, to lay down our power and yield to you. Build in us patience to bear with one another in love. Thank you that you promise to always be with us.
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