What If Or What Is | Philippians 4:6-9

Opening Remarks:  

Introduction:  Anxiety and worry have become a plague in our culture.

It’s hard to know why there’s been such a rise in it. A few factors could be:

Rising stress levels - As our culture gets more fast-paced our stress levels go up.

Economic stress - Obviously this is an issue for many with inflation and the state of our economy.

Information overload - With the continuous access to news and the fact that it’s often presented negatively, that has to contribute.

Social media - The rise of social media usage and anxiety have gone hand in hand. I don’t have all the answers, but it sure seems like seeing what others are doing and comparing ourselves to them and thinking we come up short is possible factor.

I don’t know, but it sure seems like there’s a connection between anxiety and the replacement of face-to-face interaction with other humans.

Covid - It seems like many are still affected by the pandemic-induced anxiety.

The point is, it appears to be worse than it’s ever been.

One person explained anxiety like this: "It’s not the sight of the grizzly bear but the suspicion of one or two or ten. Behind every tree. Beyond every turn. It’s just a matter of time until the grizzly leaps out of the shadows, bares its fangs, and gobbles you up, along with your family, your friends, your bank account, your pets, and your country."

I think it’s true - many are not so much afraid of a bear as they are the thought of a bear. And their meditation on the negative things is impacting their ability to live life normally.

And it’s no surprise. Watch the news. Politics. Elections. Corruption. Unrest. Crime rates. It’s no wonder the inner storms rage.

Most of our anxiety or worry is rooted in “What If.”

The Grizzly might be behind the tree. Not that you’ve seen one, but What If there is one.

And that thought of “What If” leaves us paralyzed because nothing has happened yet so we have no course of action to counter it. Our thoughts and energy are on something completely outside our ability to control. And we soon discover the “What Ifs” turn us into Chicken Little or Eeyore. The sky could fall and if it does it will fall directly on me.  

Approximately 40 million Americans deal with some kind of anxiety disorder. Medial research estimates as much as 90% of illness and disease is stress-related. And it used to be an adult problem, but now the young people are feeling the effects.

A psychologist named Robert Leahy wrote, “The average child today exhibits the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the 1950’s.” That’s eye-opening. They said technology and change and advancement would simplify our lives, but it obviously has not. 

The continuous change seems to have trained us to live as if anything could happen at any moment. Everything is moving, so nothing is settled. Anything is possible, but nothing is sure. The worst could be coming. We dread the next alert. “What If.”

Folks, if we’re not careful we’re going to fall into the same trap that millions of other Americans have. The “What If” can paralyze us. And it’s not just our generation. Paul wrote some things in Philippians 4 that point to anxiety being a problem in their day, almost 2,000 years ago. It’s been a human problem for a long time.

I. The Church at Philippi was a church dealing with worry. 

Vs. 6 – Paul begins with “Be careful for nothing.”

Be careful is exactly what it sounds like. It means to be “full of cares.” It means “to have an anxious concern, based on apprehension about possible danger or misfortune.” (Greek-English Lexicon of the NT)

Warren Wiersbe says it means “to be pulled in different directions. Our hopes pull us in one direction; our fears pull us the opposite direction; we are pulled apart! The Old English root from which we get our word worry means to strangle….Worry is wrong thinking (the mind) and wrong feeling (the heart) about circumstances, people and things.” 

The “wrong thinking” and “wrong feeling” parts sounds like someone focused on “What If.”

WHAT IF I can’t pay my bills on time?

WHAT IF I don’t pass my test?

WHAT IF I make a wrong decision with my kids?

WHAT IF my car breaks down?

WHAT IF I can’t get it all done at work?

WHAT IF I get sick and can’t work?

Life is like running through a “What If” rainstorm and trying to avoid the raindrops. But everywhere you turn there’s a new “What If” and you can’t avoid it. 

It seems the Philippians were dealing with the same struggle many of us do. 

I’m sure their “What Ifs” were different – different culture, different needs, different period of time. But the truth is they had to make the same choices about worry that we do. 

They could spend their lives paralyzed by the “What Ifs” or they could follow Paul’s prescription to overcome it.

So where does Paul tell them to start to win the battle of “What If”?

Look back up at vs. 4. I really believe Paul’s admonition to overcome anxiety begins there. 

II. To Overcome The “What Ifs” Start With PRAISE (#1)

Rejoice means to be glad. We are to be glad in the Lord. 

Here’s an absolute essential when it comes to overcoming worry – It’s impossible to think two thoughts at the same. 

Sometimes I have a feeling my wife has evolved into a higher life form based on her multitasking skills. 

She can seemingly do a dozen things all at the same time. She can make supper, discipline children, pay bills, wash dishes, clean the house and catch me doing something I’m not supposed to all at the same time. 

But me, she’ll give me a shopping list with one item on it and I’ll end up calling her 3 times about it. And she’ll answer my call and talk me through it while doing all the things I just listed. 

They say women are good at multitasking, but I just think men are better at focusing on one task until it’s done…

My point is this – If you’re rejoicing in the Lord, you can’t be worried about the “What Ifs.” 

The best way to combat anxiety and worry is to praise God for who He is and what He’s done in your life.

When’s the last time you simply stopped and, without asking God for anything, spent time praising Him? 

Instead of imagining all the things that could go wrong, recall all the things God has done right in your life. 

I would encourage you to write them down. List them out. If you struggle with anxiety, take time to Praise. 

If all we do is think about the problems and the pressures and the dangers – the What Ifs – we will find ourselves in downward spiral of self-induced anxiety.

But there’s spiritual health in the exercise of focusing our attention on God. 

The next time your heart is weighed down, stop and praise God for who He is and what He’s done.

Don’t binge Netflix or raid the refrigerator. Those are temporary distractions that can’t fix anything.

But praise focuses our attention on Someone bigger than our problems. 

How does it work? Well, as someone else said, you can’t worry and worship at the same time. 

The next time you find yourself with anxiety over what tomorrow holds, use the time to start listing all the things about God that you’re thankful for. 

Paul even slips the word into vs. 6. Look at it. 

List all the things that God has blessed you with that you want Him to know you don’t take for granted. 

List all the people that God has brought into your life that have helped you become the person you are. 

Worship and you won’t worry. Because you can’t think two thoughts at the same time. 

The First Step to overcoming the What Ifs is Praise. The Second is very similar in that it takes the focus off the problem onto something bigger than the problem.

III. To Overcome The “What Ifs” Continue With PRAYER (2)

Vs. 6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

You might say, “Well, that’s obvious. Of course I’m going to pray.” 

I have to admit prayer comes more naturally than praise, especially when we have a need.

It’s much more natural for us to say, “Please” than “Thank you.”

If you’ve ever trained a child you’ve seen that play out.  They’re much quicker to say “Please” because they want something than they are to say, “Thank you” once they get it. 

But just because that may be often true, it doesn’t take away from the fact that part of the process is prayer. 

It seems so apparent, but I think we’d be shocked at how many people have a serious need but don’t take the time to truly pray about it. 

James 4 says, “Ye have not because ye ask not.” Those believers had obvious needs, but they weren’t praying as they should.

Honestly, I believe we’re much better at talking about prayer than we are praying. But Paul makes it clear that the answer to worry is prayer. 

Prayer is how we communicate with the Lord. Think of it this way – prayer is the language God speaks. We must converse with Him in the way He’s asked us to.

Supplication carries an idea of urgent pleading. It means an earnest sharing of our needs and problems. There’s intensity implied here. 

Prayer is speaking. Supplication is doing so with earnest and urgent intensity. 

I wonder if we view prayer as an exercise more than urgent communication. 

It could be the reason we can’t get our minds off the “What If” is because we’re too flippant about bringing our requests to God.

Prayer takes a locked in and urgent frame of mind. Prayer is discipline. It takes focus and concentration. 

It’s amazing how, even when I’m praying, I have to fight the urge to think about the “What Ifs.”

Don’t just pray, pray with urgency.

IV. To Overcome The “What Ifs” Practice Persistence (#3)

Notice three phrases Paul uses here:

Vs. 4 – ALWAY

Vs. 6a – NOTHING

Vs. 6b – EVERY THING

It seems to me that Paul is making no exceptions. 

We might be tempted to say, “I tried to win the battle against anxiety by following Paul’s direction last week and it didn’t work.”

So you rejoiced at all times no matter what? 

You didn’t allow any matter to turn into anxiety?  

You prayed earnestly about every single thing? 

Folks, don’t dismiss Paul’s advice about overcoming anxiety unless you have been that persistent. 

You might say, “That’s an impossible standard!

Except for the fact that Paul, who was writing these words, was writing them as a prisoner chained to a guard awaiting his execution in Rome.

He was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, yet he wrote “Rejoice in the Lord “ALWAY.” 

He wrote, “Be careful for NOTHING.” 

He wrote, “But in EVERY THING through prayer and supplication.”

If it helped him in prison it can help us with our “What If’s.” 

Just take a step back and consider what Paul is asking:

Praise – Get your mind off of the What If and onto God

Prayer – Look away from your problems and focus on God’s ability to help

And then look at vs. 8. I wish we had time to go through this list today but I’m going to simply read it.

What is Paul trying to get the Philippians to do? What is he exhorting us to do?

He’s trying to get us to stop focusing on the things we can’t control – the What Ifs – by focusing on what’s true. God’s attributes. God’s blessings. God’s ability to answer requests. Things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, things full of virtue and praise. 

Paul is telling us, “Stop worrying about the What IF and focus on the What IS.

The What IF is a possibility outside of our control and may not even happen. But the What IS is something true about God that is sure. 

What about all my bills? WHAT IF

Does God own the cattle on a thousand hills or not? WHAT IS

Can God supply my every need? (Phil. 4:19) WHAT IS

Will I be able to stock my refrigerator? WHAT IF

Does God promise to take care of my basic needs of life? Read Matthew 6. That’s a WHAT IS

WHAT IS? God is faithful and doesn’t drop the ball when it comes to meeting my needs.

What about the governmental unrest? WHAT IF

Who sits on the throne of the universe? WHAT IS

What about tomorrow? WHAT IF

WHAT IS? God loves me and has my best interest in mind.

WHAT IS? God has told us to take no thought for our basic needs because He will provide them if we seek Him first. (By the way, “take no thought” is the same exact Greek root word for “Be careful.” It means “Don’t be anxious” or “don’t worry.”)

WHAT IS? God is. He’s the Sovereign “I Am.” He rules over His Creation, separate from and over it and yet personally interested it in.

WHAT IS? We have a Father that can do all things. He’s all-powerful and all-knowing and all-loving. 

WHAT IS? God is merciful, even to sinners like us.

What Is True about God is greater than any What If we will ever face. 

Sure we live in a world full of “What Ifs” with all kinds of scary possibilities. 

But if we focus on “What Is” true, we will find ourselves being free from the anxiety that comes when things are unsettled and when we don’t have answers and when things look grim.

Because we have confidence in a God that Is. 

V. And look at the results of focusing on “What Is.” 

A. God Promises Two Things: His Peace and His Presence

Look at vs. 7 – Peace

This isn’t the world’s version of peace. That kind of peace can be disrupted in a moment

No, this is peace of a supernatural nature. It starts when we have peace with God through the death of Jesus Christ. You’ll never have peace until you have the peace of salvation

But it goes beyond that. God promises peace to those who focus on “What Is.” Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Perfect peace is available to those whose minds are fixed on Him. It’s what Paul was talking about. Focus on What Is and the What Ifs give way to perfect peace.

Look at vs. 9 – God’s Presence.

I’m thankful for God’s blessings and gifts, but the greatest promise we have in all of this is God Himself.

Heb. 13:5 “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” We have Gods’ promised presence.

And when you have the presence of God, you have a promise like Psalm 16:11, “…in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

That’s what you’re missing when you’re full of care. You miss God’s unexplainable peace and the indescribable joy that comes from His presence. 

So What If = Anxiety, worry, unrest. What Is = Peace & God’s Presence.

That seems like an easy choice to me. 

Conclusion:  No one is exempt from the emotions of anxiety & worry. We’re all human. We all have Grizzly Bears. And as much as you hear it, the answer isn’t medication. We need something that will deal with the root of our problems. We have to go to our thinking and recognize that our What If is nothing compared to What Is. 

Grizzly can’t touch the power of our Creator. Friend, I don’t know what tomorrow holds. That’s a big What If. But I do know Who holds tomorrow. That’s What Is. and fociFind the peace and presence of God in that.