Hello friends!
I cannot believe that we have come to the end of this 6 weeks together! It seems like, throughout this entire “shelter in place”, time has moved both slowly and at warp speed!! The days can seem long but then I look up and realize another full week has passed. What a wonderful reminder to make the most of every minute. Thank you for studying together these last 6 weeks and holding each other accountable to embrace the time that the Lord provided to deepen our faith as we have sheltered in place.
Questions for Philippians 4:10-23
1. In verse 11, Paul says that he has “learned to be content in whatever the circumstances.” We never imagined living through a worldwide pandemic and 2 months of sheltering in place. These were certainly unforeseen circumstances.
- What did you learn about contentment during this time?
- Were there things, no longer available to you during “shelter in place” that used to be “contentment crutches” in your life?
- How did you do when those things were not available anymore?
- How did the Lord reveal Himself to you during this time as the One who offers total and unwavering contentment to your heart?
2. The current circumstances cause us to reflect on other unimaginable circumstances that have come in our lives. I heard a quote recently, “we have gotten through every hard thing that we have faced up until now.” So true and so encouraging! We have all faced things that we thought might take us down and yet we are still standing.
- Reflect on past difficult circumstances in your life and the way that the Lord showed up for you and brought you to the other side. Really dig into these memories. It is upon reflection of God’s past faithfulness that we trust Him even more in present circumstances.
3. “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). This is one of our favorite verses to quote. What does it really mean to you? How do you experience this verse in your life?
- This verse certainly applies to the giant obstacles that we must overcome in our lives, but it also applies to the daily challenges that we face. Patience with our families, anxiety over daily responsibilities, making dinner…again!! Let’s commit today to bring all of our lives to the Lord today, big and small. And, at the end of the day, we can give Him all the praise for meeting “all our needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
4.Paul signs his letter to the Philippians, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
- What does it mean to have the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in your spirit?
- How will His Spirit change the way that you live your life today, tomorrow and forever?
Thank you Lord for my sisters in Christ. Thank you for their “partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Thank you that we can be confident “that He who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion.” Lord we pray that our “love may abound more and more in knowledge and in depth of insight” and that we may be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Christ Jesus”. Father make us humble women who “value others above [ourselves.] Not looking to [our] own interests but to the interests of others.” God we pray that each day we will “continue to work out [our] salvation” and that we will “shine like stars in the sky.” God do not let us loose heart, but empower us to “press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of [us]…forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…towards the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus. Father please stay near to us. Fill us with your “peace which transcends all understanding, guarding [our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Lord teach us the “secret for being content in any and every situation.” Allow us to trust you to “meet all of our needs according to the riches of [Your] glory in Christ Jesus.” Finally Lord we pray that “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ will be with [our] spirits. Amen”
Love you all!
Kinsee
