equations

“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 everything, by prayer and petition, 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


It’s the wee hours of the morning. I’m tired, but I can’t sleep. I made the mistake of looking at my schedule for the next two weeks, and had a minor panic attack.

Next week = 2 quizzes + 1 presentation + 1 practical + 3 exams + 1 final
Following week = 2 practicals + 3 finals

Ick.

I just wailed to my boyfriend who is approximately 180 miles away, and was curled up in his bed all ready to sleep. Poor guy.  He should probably be sainted or knighted or something by the time I graduate. I moaned to him about the similarities in hormone pathways. I cried for fear of Immuno presentations. I complained about the intricacies of the head and neck.

My ever- so-wise (or smart-alecky) boyfriend asked me then, what would be the first thing I would get rid of in the head and neck to make studying easier.

It kind of reminded me of when I was a junior higher and was frequently annoyed by my four younger siblings. The moment I would complain to my dad, he would say,

“Alright then. Which one shall we get rid of first?” 

“But Dad! That’s not what I meant!”

And that would be that.

Jeremy got a similar response (besides that “But Dad!” part).


One of the best things about Jeremy is that he doesn’t let me dwell in pity parties. I don’t always like it at the time because sometimes I just want to whine. But Jeremy reminds me that I am to “do everything without complaining or arguing,” (Phil. 2:14) and he gently guides me so that I am looking towards Truth and hope and blessings. Tonight, he read to me sections of Philippians, the book of the Bible that we’re trying to memorize together. Here are a few points that stuck out to me:

“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.” 3:1

I’ll get back to explaining this one. Promise. I’m just going sequentially.

But whatever was for my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” 3:7-9

I have placed much stock in my grades. As a matter of fact, pursuing them fills the majority of my waking hours. They’re not what I want them to be right now, and I’m scared of the oncoming gauntlet of exams. I’m scared of failing. Grades are the profit that I want to receive for my time put into studying.

But Paul says that, comparatively speaking, I can consider them a loss anyway. Those test grades, whether high or low, pale in comparison to the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. And the beautiful thing is that this comes not from the right or wrong answers I produce, but through faith in Christ. Thank You Jesus, for perspective.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” 4:4

Here he is, repeating himself. He said at the beginning of chapter 3 that he had no problem repeating this admonishment to them, and here he does it again- twice! But why did he say that it merited repeating? Because:

“…it is a safeguard for you.”

How can rejoicing provide a safeguard for me? What is it protecting me from? Through rejoicing in the Lord, I am required to look up from myself and up at His greatness. I must pause to reflect on His character and His blessings. I am safeguarded from my self-pity, fear, and doubt. Thank you, Paul, for reminding me again.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 4:6-7

Oh, but I am anxious. Unfortunately, my first reaction is not to pray, but to freak out and frantically grab at any information that I can possibly reach and to cram it haphazardly into my brain. Understanding it all would be great, but most days, that’s even beyond me.

But you tell me that I have available a peace that surpasses that ever-so-elusive understanding? No way!

And it will guard my heart and mind?  My heart is restless and uneasy. My mind is overwhelmed and tired.

Count me in.

Thanks to hours studying physiology and biochemistry, my mind is learning to reduce large concepts into basic equations. Here’s the one I made up just now:

[(Prayer + petition) + Thanksgiving ]Rejoicing in the Lord = peace of God = safeguard heart and mind

Peace of God > all understanding

Catherine ≠ worry

Amen