God’s Prescription for Peace of Mind
The Covid epidemic will go down as one of the great, life-altering events of the 21st century. Among the many effects upon society will be the effect on the mental health of so many, manifested in the increasing inability to perform the routine tasks of life, the growing number of suicides among young people, and the impact of mental health upon the homeless population. The Christian church at large has not been spared, and even some of its pastors have succumbed as they face the increasing stress upon the members of their congregations. The pastorate has always been difficult, but the added stress has made it unbearable for some pastors. They wrestle with the peace of mind and the tranquility Christ promised His church (John 14:27; 16:33). Even pastors suffer from the loss of peace of mind and heart. One police chief was asked by a reporter why so many police officers were failing in performing their duties, to which he replied, “Unfortunately, we take our recruits from the human race.” We, too, may forget that our pastors are also human and have the same issues that affect the peace of mind of the average person. But there is great hope.
In the letter to the Philippian church, the Apostle Paul closes with a short exhortation that contains the antidote to our lack of peace (Philippians 4:4-9). Here, we find four concluding exhortations that address the four major causes of the lack of peace of mind: depression, bitterness, anxiety, and despair. The word “peace” rules in the paragraph, and Paul gives what I call “God’s prescription for peace of mind.”
Before explaining the paragraph, it is good to remind ourselves that all humanity suffers from a lack of peace due to its rebellion against God. Isaiah writes, “’There is no peace for the wicked,’ says the Lord” (Isaiah 48:22; 57:20-21). The absence of peace is God’s judgment upon rebellious humanity (Ephesians 4:17-19; Romans 1:28-32). Again, David shows us how unconfessed sin leads to turmoil of the heart and mind (Psalm 32:3-4). We also need to see that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:7), came to reconcile us to the Father by making peace through his vicarious death for sinners. Hence, we have “peace with God” (Romans 5:1) and have been fully reconciled to God (Romans 5:10). The absence of condemnation leads to peace of heart and mind (Romans 8:1). As the result of Christ’s atonement and reconciliation we can let the peace of God rule in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Still pastors and parishioners wrestle with the consequences of the fall, their personal weaknesses and sin (Matthew 26:41). Hence we need God’s help when we do not have peace of mind. Here is where Philippians 4:4-9 can be of great help to us.
God’s Prescription Against Depression
Years ago, when I was pastoring our small, growing church, I was utterly shocked to hear that a pastor of a large, growing, popular church had committed suicide. It was not for immoral or unethical behavior. He was just depressed. Depression is real, and so is the sadness and despondency that come with it. Any major setback or disappointment, abandonment by a loved one or the death of a loved one, can cast a cloud of gloom over our minds, leading us to wallow in the “slough of despond” (as John Bunyan put it). How can we find joy and happiness when things look so bad?
Paul’s remedy is simple: “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). The natural response to this statement is: “Easy for you to say. You are not in my shoes.” A closer look at the exhortation breathes life into our souls. “Rejoice” is the theme of the epistle and is used over 20 times in various forms. Here is a man unjustly imprisoned for his faith in Christ and for sharing God’s love with the world and filled with joy despite his circumstances.
Paul exhorts us to find our true joy “in the Lord.” After all, it was the Lord who promised His fullness of joy in us (John 15:11) and that His joy in us no one can truly take away (John 16:22). Our joy comes through our relationship with our glorious risen Savior, from our undying love for Him. As Peter reminds us, “And though you have not seen Him, you love him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (I Peter 1:8). We need to take our eyes off of ourselves and our circumstances and look to His promise (Psalm 28:7; 33:18-32). “Rejoice in the Lord” means to count our joy in the Lord above our possessions and treasures (Psalm 73:25-28) and even above our circumstances (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
Paul learned to rejoice in the Lord not only because of his special love for Christ (Philippians 3:4-14) but also because he was living out the true statement that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Throughout the epistle Paul expresses his joy over how his imprisonment has worked for good. Read carefully and see how he rejoices in his imprisonment (Philippians 1:17-18), in the hope of deliverance (Philippians 1:18-26), in his opportunity to serve others, even willing to sacrifice his life for others (Philippians 2:17-18). His joy overflows when he sees the saints as his pride and joy (Philippians 4:1) and sees their readiness to come to his aid (Philippians 4:10). Hence, he has no reservation in asking them to “rejoice in the Lord” (Philippians 3:1; 4:4). What a model for pastors going through a cloud of gloom!
Prescription for Bitterness
It is not difficult to let bitterness creep in and take possession of our hearts and minds in the Christian ministry. Pastors face persecution from the world and abuse, unfair treatment, and deprivations from their churches. Our greatest hurts will come from the ranks of the saints. Years of abuse, neglect, and discouragement can result in bitterness towards others and even towards God. Bitterness and anger cannot coexist with the peace of God in our hearts.
Paul’s exhortation was simple: “Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). A pastor can learn to hide a bitter spirit and continue the routine of ministry until retirement, reassignment, or until he quits, but such does not need to be the case. Hear what God says. His prescription is sure medicine. First, God prescribes that we approach life and ministry expecting less than we deserve. This involves the willingness to yield one’s personal rights and to show consideration to others. The word translated “gentle” is a rather unique word implying “forbearance,” “patience,” or “meekness” and is used in conjunction with contrasting words (I Tim. 3:3; Titus 3:7; Jas. 3:17; I Pet. 2:18). We can avoid bitterness by not having such high expectations of our treatment by others. The prime example is our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not insist upon His own rights (I Peter 2:23; 2 Corinthians 10:1). Bitterness comes because we think others owe us something. David would not become bitter at Saul but instead saw himself as “a dead dog, a single flea” (I Samuel 24:14).
God’s prescription also includes forgiveness. An unforgiving spirit yields bitterness, which in turn robs the heart of God’s peace. Bitterness is self-tormenting. Instead, we are urged to forgive as Christ has forgiven us (Matthew 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:13). We should be forgiving to “all men,” Christians and non-Christians alike.
We can see another remedy for bitterness in the phrase, “the Lord is near.” We can understand this phrase in many ways, but each way is still helpful in dealing with the bitterness of the heart. It can be seen as the Lord being near as the avenger of our wrongs. It settles the need for vengeance or retribution, which a bitter heart usually harbors. Instead, it reminds us that the Lord is near, mindful of our abuses, and sure to equal the score. He is the only one with the right to do so (Romans 12:17-21). The words can also mean that “the Lord is near” to help us in whatever harm or abuse comes our way. We have the freedom and privilege to call upon Him for help (Psalm 34:18; 46:1; 119:151; 145:18; 2 Timothy 4:17). Because He is near we can do all things through Him who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). In addition, the words can refer to the Lord’s soon return (James 5:8). In which case we will depart and be with Christ which is better (Philippians 1:23) because our troubles will be over. We can be “gentle” and not bitter because none of these things will matter when we are in glory with Christ. All this spells “relief” and peace of mind.
Prescription for Anxiety
Next, Paul exhorts us against having an anxious mind, or, as the Greek word describes, “a divided mind,” which is incompatible with peace of mind. He describes an unlawful concern for our daily lives, the very things our Lord described in the Sermon on the Mount: an unlawful concern for daily provision of food and covering (Matthew 6:25-34), of the length of life (Matthew 6:27), and of over-concern to be satisfied in this life (Matthew 6:25).
God’s prescription is twofold. First, Christ exhorts us to prioritize God (Matthew 6:24, 32-34) and trust in His providence (Matthew 6:33; James 4:12-17). God knows our needs, and we can trust Him to care for us. Knowing His goodness and His ability allows us to cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares for us (I Peter 5:7). Secondly, God would have us exercise prayer: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). The way to peace of mind is to “be anxious for nothing” and to do so means to petition God for everything in life. Nothing is too trivial, and nothing is too great. Paul adds, “with thanksgiving” as an encouragement to prayer by reminding us of past blessings and a resolve in our praying to accept whatever God’s will is for our lives. The fervent prayer in the garden of Gethsemane resulted in God’s peace upon our blessed Savior (Luke 22:41-46).
Believing fervent prayer changes our anxious hearts. Paul gives this promise: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). The peace of God is promised in response to special petitioning prayer. God promises us peace that “surpasses all comprehension,” an inexplicable peace, and a peace that “guards our hearts and minds,” which sets a garrison about our minds to keep us from anxiety and the lack of peace of mind.
Prescription Against Despair
Pastors are not immune to despair. The psalmist described despair as the loss of hope (Psalm 42:5, 9-11). Despair comes when we exhaust all the means of deliverance (Acts 27:20). Our feelings of despair can be real. We despair when our loved ones are on a deathbed, and only God can heal us. We despair when our funds have run out, and only God can bail us out. We despair when our children go wayward, and only God can bring them back. But there is also a despair that comes from wrong information. It comes when we let lies and misinformation influence our minds or with the constant attention to bad news and conversations. Then, our hearts and minds despair and lose faith in our almighty God.
God’s prescription for such despair is to guard our minds by letting nothing disturb the peace of God in them. The childhood story of Chicken Little and his cry of the sky falling can fill our hearts as well. Pastors succumb to despair when we dwell more on man’s depravity than on the power of the Gospel of grace, when we focus more on what is going wrong in the world than on what is going right, and when we take on God’s responsibilities instead of letting God be God.
God’s prescription against despair is to fill the mind with what is good and what will ultimately yield peace of mind through the God of peace. Paul’s exhortation for having peace of mind is this: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Bad news sells. Bad news attracts, no matter the source. Hence, we need to check what our minds dwell upon. God says, “Dwell on these things,” on that which is good and excellent. This will remove the doom and gloom from our minds and fill them with hope and happiness.
The conclusion to the whole paragraph and the four prescriptions is that we put into practice all that we have learned from Scripture, and so the God of peace will be with us. The God who is peace and who gives peace will give us peace of mind. Let us heed this gracious reminder from our joyous, gentle, trusting, and hopeful apostle.
©2024 Alex Montoya. Used with permission.
About The Author

Alex Montoya
Alex D. Montoya is the senior pastor at First Fundamental Bible Church in Whittier, Calif. He is the author of the book, Preaching with a Passion.