There’s a second place where a Christian can get joy according to Philippians 4 – a Christian can get joy with the Lord. 

This is what Paul says next – the last sentence in verse 5 through the end of verse 7. “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The problem with life on this side of heaven is that it seldom unfolds as we would like. It seldom fires on all cylinders. Disappointments and heartaches and obstacles abound.

The famous writer and atheist Bertrand Russell said, “The secret to happiness is to face the fact that the world is horrible, horrible, horrible.” 

Pastor Rick Warren put it a little more delicately in his book The Purpose Driven Life. “Life is a series of problems. Either you are in one now, you’re just coming out of one, or you’re getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than he is in making your life happy.”

Thanks Rick (he says sullenly). But it’s true. And the quicker we make our peace with this, the better off we’re going to be.

So where does a Christian find joy in a world filled with problems and tests? He or she finds it with the Lord. “The Lord is near”, Paul writes.

This truth leads into this great verse about prayer. It’s because the Lord is near, right by our side, that we develop this habit of talking to him constantly about what’s going on in our lives. “In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Everything means everything. You don’t need a Greek dictionary to figure it out. Some of you are going through a severe season of testing right now. Take Jesus’ hand and do not let go. Keep the conversation of prayer going each and every day. You may not get the answer you’re looking for, but you’ll get Jesus, and if you get Jesus, you’ll have all you need to see you through.

What this passage promises is not the answer to all your prayers or the fulfillment to all your longings. What it promises is peace in the midst of the storm.

“And the peace of God (it’s not a peace based on circumstances, it’s the peace of God; you’ll only get it from him) which transcends all understanding (it’s a peace that doesn’t even make sense, humanly speaking, but God gives it to you nonetheless), will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (for we need to be protected during times of testing, because Satan is right there, trying to poison our hearts and minds with his lies.)

What this passage promises is not the answer to all your prayers or the fulfillment to all your longings. What it promises is peace in the midst of the storm.

So rejoice with the Lord.  I don’t know what his answer to you will be; it’s different for each of us. God is writing a personalized novel with each and every one of us. He’s that big. Peter once demanded of Jesus that he reveal to him his plans for John.  Jesus said to him in so many words, “Don’t worry about John. I’m writing my own story with him. Let’s talk about your story.”

But one thing I do know – Jesus will be with you in the storm, and somehow, someway he’ll get you through it, and the story he writes with you will be beautiful. Just don’t let go.