Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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.
Philippians 4:4-7
During 2026, Peachtree Church is inviting everyone into Cultivate, a churchwide discipleship plan centered on the fruit of the Spirit and the kind of life God longs to grow in us. Throughout the year, we’ll explore how love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control take shape in everyday life through the Spirit’s work. Cultivate brings together worship, Scripture, group guides, and meaningful practices designed to meet you where you are and support growth in ways that fit your season. These twice-weekly devotionals are one way to stay connected, offering reflection and grounding for daily life with God. Whether you engage in many ways or just one, you’re invited to be part of this shared journey of becoming more rooted in who God has created and called you to be.
Devotional
The letter to the Philippians was written by Paul when he was in prison. In fact, if Paul had not been slowed down and confined to prison, where his best form of communication was to send out letters, we might be missing a good bit of our own New Testament. Paul wrote to friends and to churches he had already founded, trying to build them up and straighten them out so that they could thrive in his absence. Before his imprisonment, he could freely travel and witness to the good news of salvation in Christ Jesus, and he did so.
Check out the back pages of your favorite Bible for maps of his missionary journeys: they ranged all over the map of the Roman Empire. Now he is no longer free to choose his next journey, and in fact, he is pretty sure his next journey will be to his ‘deliverance’. His desire to be with Christ is very keen.
But while he waits in jail, he writes to this church in Philippi, the church he trusted the most. He doesn’t worry that they will misunderstand him or lose the faith while he can’t be with them. He wants to reassure them and help them to understand his imprisonment in a rather unusual way. Instead of turning his face to the wall and being depressed, as he would have every reason to do, Paul uses the word, Rejoice, over and over in this letter. He tells them that others are preaching the gospel in the world while he cannot, and that he is rejoicing in that. He tells them that he has even been converting the Praetorian Guard to the faith! This is perhaps not too surprising, as he would have been praying aloud, singing spiritual songs, receiving Christian visitors, dictating his letters to the church aloud, and witnessing in every way to his faith, all right in front of the guards. Instead of being in despair, Paul is finding ways to rejoice and be a faithful witness even in prison, and he encourages his flock in Philippi to rejoice and be faithful in their own place.
Something I always notice in this letter is that Paul shows a beautiful character development. Before he has been a zealous, bold, active force to be reckoned with. He’s struggled with boasting, which was a favorite pre-conversion activity. He’s covered the map, preached to hostile crowds and adoring ones, he’s been run out of town, stoned, shipwrecked, beaten up and left for dead because of his strong witness. But here, in this letter to this beloved church, he becomes gentle.
He speaks about being hopeful no matter what the outcome of his current ordeal in prison. If he gets out, well and good: he will come and minister more to the churches. But if he does not, and if he loses his earthly life, as he expects to do, that will be gain and a desired win. He will depart and join Christ. We will cover on Wednesday another of these gentle moments that are a mark of Paul’s spiritual maturity.
Because Paul and the church and Philippi are so close, he can share honestly with them about all that he is thinking and feeling. He is learning to live with faithfulness even in prison, even close to the end, even as he lives between the known and turns to face the unknown. We can read what Paul wrote to his friends, and learn from this letter that is full of rejoicing, even in the darkness.
For Reflection
- How did Paul use his time in prison?
- Does it surprise you that there was deep purpose in that time of confinement?
- Have you seen the way God has used hard times in your own life?
Prayer
Dear Lord, I take on the sorrow of various times in my life, and feel only that sorrow. But are there ways for you to use those times to bless me and grow me? How can I rejoice when times are hard? Lord, come alongside me and help me to see the light in my darkness. Help me not be defeated by any earthly circumstance. Bring me through into a new day, when I can look back and see all you have done for me. I trust you to lead me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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