The Practice of Joy
Philippians 4:1-9
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my coworkers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.
__________
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, there's a place known as Orfield Labs, which is said to possess an anechoic chamber (sound-dampened) that is so effective you can hear your heartbeat. Standing opposite of the anechoic chamber are great sanctuaries or buildings with tall vaulted ceilings that appear to let sound bounce off as many surfaces as they wish. And if you've been to such a place with many other people, you know it doesn't take much for the sounds to become overwhelming.
In the past, I would have said we could go to the quiet places in our lives to escape the anxiety or overwhelming nature of echo chambers (physical or psychological). However, even the quiet places are no longer immune to the stresses and realities of life. Work, relationships, school, shifting climates, gun violence, drugs, poverty, homelessness, hunger, and continued stigma around mental health are just a tiny fraction of what we are trying to process and work through. And for communities of faith, that mission to provide healing might feel even more daunting during seasons of transition.
So where do we go? Who do we turn to to find reassurance, comfort, and joy? How do we balance our lives so that both silence and noisy elements of our lives do not overwhelm us? And how do we ensure we do not lose sight of the life-altering power of our faith?
It is important to note that Paul, who is writing this letter to the Philippians, is enduring some hardships. Okay, "some" is putting it lightly; Paul is writing from a Roman prison, wondering if he will be sentenced to death for his proclamation of the good news. As he writes, he understands he is addressing a community of faith who finds themselves under a great deal of stress psychologically, physically, and economically.
Paul understands that hope and joy are difficult to feel when presented with trying circumstances. And so he writes to them to spur them on, encourage them, and instruct them to keep doing what they are doing with joy in the midst of hardship. But Paul does not offer them shallow or hollow words of hope; he provides practical ways to balance life's quiet and busy moments and connect more deeply with their faith so they do not weigh on them like the oppressive forces they are already experiencing.
As we bridge the teachings of Paul's letter to the Philippians with our daily lives, I want to highlight and focus on a few essential practices that lead us to a deeper understanding of joy as an active practice.
"Rejoice in the Lord always": Joy As a Practice
Joy is an exercise of the heart, mind, and body. I wouldn't say that joy is a choice, but it is a muscle that must be strengthened and toned. Our ability to feel and know joy comes from putting our faith into action and commitment to following in the footsteps of our living God. "Rejoice," Paul says to the Philippians. Paul doesn't tell them to sit back and passively receive joy; there is a rubber meets the road, a real connection between the physical act and our working towards making joy a reality.
"But in everything by prayer": Grace and Transparency
People have good and bad days. Paul reminds those in the church to let their "gentleness be known to everyone." Gentleness is a means of extending grace. It's not a weakness but a strength many of us are too weak to master. It requires the ability to reach deep within ourselves and connect with something raw, something real, that allows us to embrace the heart and mind of God. Not utilizing this gift, this strength found in gentleness, will lead to the undoing of our relationships and communities. It's what Paul feared would happen in his letter to the church in Philippi if Syntyche and Euodia could not make amends.
The same is true for ourselves; we need to extend grace to ourselves by not feeling the need to keep everything inside. As the old hymn says, "Take it to the Lord in prayer." Our fears, our worries, and our doubts are to be taken to the Lord in prayer alongside our prayers of gratitude. If we are to practice our faith joyfully and authentically, then we must be able to bring to God all that weighs on our hearts. There is no benefit to keeping it locked away inside, for it to build like an unwatched pressure pot.
"If there is any excellence": One Step At a Time
A critical takeaway from Paul's letter to the Philippians is that we don't tally up all the mistakes, failures, or lapses of judgment we make. Paul reminds the church and us that we should instead focus on what truly matters (i.e., Did we love as God would love today? Did we serve to the best of our ability? Did we take a risk and try living our calling in a new way?). We cannot go to the quiet places or the busy centers where we interact with others, expecting we will get everything right, especially during times of transition and rediscovery. "Brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
Let us embrace joy as an active practice, extend grace through transparency, and focus on excellence in our daily walk of faith. We are not called to be perfect but to be genuine and steadfast in our commitment to follow the path of Christ. As we navigate the complexities of our world, may we find solace in the quiet places of prayer and in the noisy centers of our joyous ministry, knowing that the peace of God, which transcends human understanding, will guard our hearts and minds. Let us go forth, rejoicing always and embracing the gentleness that strengthens our bonds, living a life worthy of praise. In doing so, we become beacons of hope and healing in a world that desperately needs both.