Dwellings (Phil. 3)

I have not ever really been sure that anyone else struggles with the things I struggle with; yet, conversely, I know the reality is they do. A quick glance at any social media account will speak of the struggles of this life, but knowing (or saying) that the struggle is real isn’t enough. As Christians, we must go beyond our own insecurities, the struggles of this life, and dwell in the reality of “knowing Christ Jesus as Lord . . . being found in Him . . . knowing the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 3:8-11)—not focused on the struggles, rather focused on Him, dwelling there.

In my years in the classroom, I saw many students become fixated on a particular struggle, whatever theirs was. Often it was a real or perceived inability in a given area, and because my area of instruction was English, it was often a struggle with reading, comprehending, or writing (or all three). My job as a teacher was to change their fixation on their inability, input new material, and offer feedback that would hopefully lead to growth in reading, comprehending, or writing.

Changing the fixation on the problem (the old struggle) required much patience and repetition. I often felt like a broken record, saying or writing the same things over and over again with no change of direction for them. I would have to remind myself that the obvious bent I could see in a student’s writing was hidden to them. Even though the fix seemed simple to me, until I was able to change their focus (doing things the way they had always done them or the way they understood them previously), nothing changed. I can’t emphasize this enough—until their perception or focus changed, things remained the same. They just couldn’t see what I (and probably most every English teacher before them) was trying to impart. 

The English material I taught was not life or death (although students sometimes felt it was when they received a grade knowing their parents would see it immediately in the grade portal), but the writings of the New Testament are. When I read the writings of Peter and Paul in the New Testament, I see the same struggle to convey the important and help the Christian congregations maintain their focus and growth. Both apostles are quick to offer much-needed reminders to their readers. Peter says in his second letter, “I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them” (2:12), and later, “I am writing to you, stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken” (3:1-2).  Paul says in Philippians 3:1, “To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.” Fortunately, the Holy Spirit was and is at work in these writings, accomplishing the impossible through supernatural means—Christ IN us!

In Philippians 4, Paul writes to a group struggling with maintaining both external peace (as the reference to Euodia and Syntyche and the admonishment to have a forbearing spirit demonstrates) and internal peace (as the verses about being “anxious for nothing” indicate). God’s peace was available as the Lord was near (v. 5), but their focus on the things of the world, their struggles, kept them from that peace. And if that skewed focus was maintained, only more chaos would come (the arguments, lack of joy, impatience, anxiety, and lack of peace implied by Paul in verses 2-7). 

The Philippians had to see the problem Paul truthfully shined a light upon before anything could change. Then they had to receive his instruction, replacing the way they’d been living. His admonishment to them was to think differently. His instruction elaborated on what this looked like. He said to DWELL on these things (v. 8):

1. Whatever is true
2. Whatever is honorable
3. Whatever is right
4. Whatever is pure
5. Whatever is lovely
6. Whatever is of good repute
7. Whatever is excellent
8. Whatever is worthy of praise

Until the old way of thinking (the stinking thinking) was taken out like so much garbage, there was no room for the new way of thinking, them living as a fragrant aroma, pleasing to God. Unless the new way of thinking was maintained (lived in, dwelled upon), there would be a reversion to the old; thus Paul reminded them persistently that dwelling on these things and living in “prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” that led to the incomprehensible peace of God that would guard their “hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (v. 7) was essential. 

We too must dwell in the teachings of Christ and the scriptures He’s left for us and the witnesses left behind (Paul tells us, “you have learned and received and heard and seen in me”) and the peace of God. Our intense focus on Him and our persistent practice in the instruction left behind lead to change. Like Paul writes to the Philippians, that God was with them was never in doubt (v. 5), that He would support them was never a question (v. 6-9). The resources and instruction was there for the taking.

As I grew as a teacher, I learned to better guide my students and help them focus on the right things. As a consequence, during my last three years of teaching, most of my students left changed. Their old way of thinking wasn’t the same. Their new way of thinking, their practice of the things being taught, resulted in a difference. Their anxiety level decreased. Their peace and confidence increased—and these are imperfect things, the worldly things of education. Imagine what happens when we dwell upon the things that truly matter, the things God has provided for us to help us grow up into Him! 

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (v. 23).