God is not about to do something weird, but He is about to do something that will challenge our hearts. As believers, we know that God is constantly at work in our lives, shaping us and moulding us into the people He created us to be.

However, sometimes His plans for us can be uncomfortable or unfamiliar, requiring us to step outside of our comfort zones and confront our fears and limitations so it’s worth  exploring what it means to be challenged by God and how we can find encouragement in the midst of these challenges.

God’s Plans for Us

God has a unique plan and purpose for each of our lives. In Jeremiah 29:11, He says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Sometimes God’s plans for us can be challenging or difficult to understand. We may be called to make changes in our lives that are uncomfortable or to confront situations that require us to rely on God’s strength and guidance – and importantly, to exercise our faith in Him.

In everyday life, this may look like stepping out of our comfort zones and taking on new challenges or opportunities. It may mean forgiving someone who has hurt us deeply, or it may mean (as it is increasingly becoming a cultural stance) standing up for our beliefs in the face of opposition. Whatever the challenge may be, we can trust that God’s plans for us are good and that He is working all things together for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). We are never left to our own devices, and God is at work in the deep agenda of our lives in acts of phenomenal providence.

Embracing God’s Challenges

When God challenges us, it’s important that we embrace these challenges with faith and courage. Trusting, obeying and following. We may not understand what He’s doing or why He’s doing it, but we can trust in His love and faithfulness. In Isaiah 43:2, He says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Trust that God will be with you every step of the way, no matter how difficult the challenge may be.

Assistance

One way that we can find encouragement in the face of these challenges is by turning to Scripture and following the narratives and examples of other believers who have faced similar struggles. The Apostle Paul, for example, was faced with numerous challenges and hardships throughout his ministry, but he remained steadfast in his faith and trusted in God’s strength and guidance. In Philippians 4:13, he writes, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It’s a reminder that we can face any challenge with confidence and courage when we rely on the power of God. Sure, things may very well not turn out the way that we expected, but at the end of it we do have a story to tell with God’s fingerprints all over our lives.

We can also find encouragement by surrounding ourselves with the community of believers who can support and encourage us. Having a supportive community can help us to stay focused on God’s plans for our lives and to find strength and encouragement when we’re feeling overwhelmed. Nothing is more encouraging than being with the Church worshipping God and being caught up with renewed vision of His supremacy in all things. Things can be difficult, but God in His omnipotence, is greater. Far greater.

Pursuing a Deeper Relationship with God

In everyday life, it’s easy to become complacent in our relationship with God. We may become comfortable in our routines and habits, and we may start to take God’s blessings and grace for granted. However, when we allow ourselves to become complacent, we risk missing out on the fullness of God’s plan for our lives. How do we shake that complacency off?

As believers, we are called to actively pursue a deeper relationship with God, to seek His will for our lives, and to follow Him wholeheartedly. This requires intentionality and discipline on our part, as well as a willingness to let go of anything that is hindering our relationship with God. The problem is always at our end, God desires a deeper relationship with us.

One way that we can be encouraged in the pursuit of a deeper relationship with God is as mentioned earlier, by looking at the examples of others who have pursued a deeper relationship with Him. In Psalm 42:1-2, the psalmist writes, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”  Our relationship with God is our highest priority and it is a given that we be eager to pursue Him with our whole hearts – making Him our magnificent obsession!

You will know that another approach to that intimacy with God is through prayer and worship. When we take time to pray and worship, we’re able to connect with God on a deeper level and to hear His voice more clearly. We’re also able to express our love and gratitude to Him and to receive the affirming peace and comfort of the Spirit in return.

God’s plans for us are good. No superlatives are necessary. God is good, and everything in and about Him reflects that infinitely. even when they’re challenging or uncomfortable. As we pursue a deeper relationship with God we’re able to experience His love and grace in new and profound ways, and discover the fullness of His plan for our lives.

For our good…

God is not about to do something weird, but He is about to do something that will challenge our hearts. That’s nothing fresh, He is always at work in our lives. We are never left groping in the dark or unsupervised! We can trust that His plans for us are good, and that He is working all things together for our ultimate good as we slowly, but confidently, grow in our relationship with Him to become the people He created us to be.

Let us seek His will for our lives and follow Him wholeheartedly, knowing that He is with us every step of the way.

No matter what you’re doing, it’s hard to concentrate when something’s on your mind-something worrisome or persistent. What’s on your mind? Thankfully, whatever it is, the Bible has a great and helpful encouragement that is like one of the pearls from the book of Proverbs.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

You’ve likely read it in passing, but it is there for a reason so it is worth revisiting.

What to think about

It’s another one of Paul’s brilliant and inspired insights that encourages everyone to focus on edifying and uplifting things in their thoughts and actions. It is more than positive thinking because it conveys wisdom from God. If you want to clear the fog that sometimes fills the mind when under pressure this verse almost makes you slow down and allow God back into your consciousness. It insists rather than suggests you should strive to think about things that are true, virtuous, and praiseworthy, rather than dwelling on negative or harmful thoughts. It doesn’t tell you what the negative things of life are, you know what they are; they wear you down, crush hope and destroy peace.

This wonderful verse insists we should focus on things that are not only praiseworthy, but also everything that is expressed in a positive and uplifting way to God.

The hidden promise

These qualities, that Paul brings to our attention (truth, honor, justice, purity, loveliness, and commendation) are not just abstract concepts, but are deeply connected to God’s character and values. Remember the promise about the rainbow, well it was accompanied by another ‘promise’ that can stir your heart. He said, “When I see the rainbow…” which means that when you see the rainbow, He sees it too – at the same time! He’s near! By focusing on these qualities, in Phil 4:8 we can draw closer to God and muse into His goodness. There are lots of things angels want to look into, and so, unawares, we can find ourselves in good company.

Purpose

These are difficult days no doubt, but they also were for Paul. He wrote the letter to the Philippians while he was under house arrest in Rome, probably around AD 61-63 and was addressing the church in Philippi, which was a thriving community of believers that Paul had helped establish during his missionary journeys.

As he gets to writing chapter 4 of the letter, Paul addresses the issue of anxiety and encourages the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord and to pray with thanksgiving and now raises the broader discussion about how to overcome anxiety and focus on what is good and true. The Philippians were facing significant challenges and opposition, both from within and outside the church and even Paul himself was in prison and facing uncertain circumstances.

We speak often about this verse and that, but it is helpful to remember it was a letter comprised of words to convey a message and Paul’s words here not wasted on us as we face our most challenging obstacles of the century, they are a call to maintain hope and faith in the face of adversity, and to focus on the good things that God has done and will continue to do.

Quote

David ventured close to this as he mused, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) We can’t just empty our minds — we are creative beings — we need to fill our minds not with the stuff of life, but with what God is doing. That’s our happy place! Again, another giant from the scripture throws down the gauntlet, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3) This verse speaks to the power of trust in God to bring peace and stability to our minds, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

All the good things it is said, come in three and so one more quote: “The mind, full of faith, should meditate upon and speak of the Word of God and of His works, and be occupied with all that is good and beneficial, both within and without, so that the mind is brought into obedience to Christ.” (Martin Luther) Luther missed this out in his commentaries on Philippians 4:8 but he did emphasize in his teachings the importance of focusing on God’s word and cultivating a positive mindset.

It’s not just that we should think about all the positive virtues that draw us to or remind us of Christ, but to meditate on them, chew the cud so to speak.

Philippians 4:8 is closely related to the concept of renewing our minds, which is a key theme (once again by Paul) in Romans 12:2 where he says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The renewed mind

Renewing our minds involves changing the way we think and perceive the world around us, so that our thoughts and actions are aligned with God’s will. This process requires us to let go of negative and harmful patterns of thought, and to focus instead on what is good, true, and pleasing to God. The two verses fit hand in hand.

The virtues or qualities listed in Philippians 4:8 are not only important for our thought life, but also for our actions and behaviour. For example,

• a commitment to truth should lead us to be honest and straightforward in our dealings with others.

• Honourable conduct should lead us to act in a respectable and dignified way.

• Justice should lead us to act in a fair and equitable way.

• Purity should lead us to avoid behaviours and morally impure or harmful attitudes.

• Lovely qualities should lead us to appreciate beauty and goodness in the world around us.

• Commendable qualities should lead us to strive for excellence and honour those who have done good.

Everything in scripture effects change in our heart, mind, thinking and behaviour. Whatever things are pure, meditate on them and then consider your ways!