What’s Giving You the Blues? Sample

Philippians 4:1-8

The Pain Doesn't Need to Define You 

MA RAINEY was Chadwick Boseman's last film before his death. No one on set knew he had Stage-4 cancer until after he passed. Had he lived until the film’s release, all of us would just have assumed that he must have slimmed down for this role. But the truth is that he was quietly dealing with the suffering that would eventually take him home. I can't imagine the strength it would take to push down a disease that's eating up inside of you for the purpose of delivering such a beautiful work of art. What a superhero.    

When Chadwick’s character in the film, Levee, expresses feelings of abandonment by God, I have to wonder if the mojo of the performance came from feelings in his own life? Is it possible he felt that his cancer diagnosis was maybe a sign God did not care about him? We’ll never know this side of Heaven. 

There is a similar subtext in our reading today in Philippians. At this point in his life, Paul is pretty old. He has been beaten, shipwrecked, outcast, left for dead and locked up multiple times. He, too, knows a little bit about suffering, and all that experience with pain is coming out through his pen. And what Paul suggests to the readers of this letter is that there is no magic formula, no 3-steps-to-happiness life hack. Living for God is not a list of tasks but a state of mind: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” 

What a gem! ..”put it into practice.” The Scriptures are not telling us that when we put this into the equation all stress goes away. What the scriptures tell us is that when the trials come, we can meditate on positive things or painful things. I'm not sure there is anything better than the wisdom of old timers - their calm resolve, the knowing wrinkles around their eyes, the years of experience that assures us anger won’t eat them up inside. Their eyes might be failing, but they know the path, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Don’t let past pain define your present or future.

When you pray:

• Write a gratitude list. Just a bunch of things you are thankful for and start every prayer with that list.
• Ask God for gentle reminders of times when he came through for you
• Give yourself the space/grace to still be sad and bring that sadness to the One who knows and loves you most.