Am I cheered when I hear news about fellow believers? Do I genuinely care for their welfare? I wanna be like Paul & Timothy.
[This discussion can be read aloud in 5 1/2 min.]
Philippians: Shine Like Stars – DAY 60
Family Discussions for the New Year
*For a menu of all days, click here.
DAY 60/TUESDAY
Philippians 2:19-24
I Wanna Be Like Paul & Timothy
“I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.”
Philippians 2:19-24 (NIV)
*Click here to read in the ESV, NLT, & CSB.
Hard Questions (If We’re Honest)
- Are you (always/often/rarely/never) cheered when you receive news about your brothers- and sisters-in-Christ?
- Do you (always/often/rarely/never) show genuine concern for their welfare?
- In your daily life, are you more likely to look out for your own interests or for the interests of Jesus Christ?
My conclusion? I want to be more like Paul & Timothy.
Cheering News
When I ask how I can train myself, by the Holy Spirit within me, to be cheered (rather than envious, frustrated, apathetic) when I hear about my brothers- and sisters-in-Christ, my mind goes back to Philippians 1:3-11.
“I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:3-11 (NIV)
Prayer is always a good place to start. (You will have trouble convincing me otherwise!) If I want to change the attitude of my heart & mind toward others, praying for them will do it. Not the “I prayed for them that one time” kind of prayer, but the “all my prayers for all of you” type that Paul practices.
Yes, this can seem overwhelming to us! I tend to think I need to take the big leap from not doing something at all to being the GOAT at that thing. This is not helpful. Small steps, that’s where it’s at (pardon my poor grammar 😉 ).
What is your prayer life like right now? Start there and add a request for one person you want to be cheered about. Nothing fancy. I’ve shared this before, but it’s worked for me in the past: Make a short list of people you want to pray for in this way and pray for one of the people from that list each day. Keep cycling through that list day by day. If you’re part of a small group, start with them! Having trouble being cheered about believing family members or coworkers? Pray for them!
As I said earlier, I want to be like Paul in this. I’m tired of scrolling through social media only to be annoyed about something good or nice that happened for a sister-in-Christ! I don’t want to be that person who hears the concerns of a fellow believer but is too wrapped up in her own concerns (not Jesus’) to care. Eww.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
Romans 12:15 (NIV)
Genuine Concern
I also don’t want to be fake — but I do have that ability. I can pretend to care, and say the things that sound good, and maybe even act the part so well others are convinced. But I’ll know… and so will God. Yikes.
Prayer can help with this, too! We can pray for genuine concern for others to grow in us. We can still do the acts of service and say the caring things before we might really mean them as long as we are working on meaning them.
Jesus’ Interests
It also helps if our prayers are not self-centered. This is one reason I like to write out my prayers: I can see in print with what my prayers have been concerned. Have I been conversing with God or just asking Him for stuff, for me? How often have I prayed for someone else with eternal interest instead of just about their earthly problems (which are good to pray about, but shouldn’t be the only or primary thing)?
Jesus’ interests are primarily the eternal, spiritual ones.
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
Look again at what Paul prayed for the Philippian believers.
What Paul Prayed
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)
This is a prayer in line with the concerns of Jesus. Let’s pray it now.
DAY 60/TUESDAY Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for Your Word.
We want to be cheered with news of our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ and genuinely concerned for their welfare, but we need some help with this. Our hearts are still too self-focused, and our minds are easily distracted by worldly problems.
Help us improve our relationships with You and with others by improving our prayer lives. We pray with Paul for our fellow believers: that their love may abound more & more in knowledge & depth of insight, so that they may be able to discern what is best & may be pure & blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory & praise of God.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray,
Amen.
DAY 60: Paul & Timothy were godly examples for the Philippian believers to follow.