Philippians 4:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Be anxious for nothing, but always in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your desires be made known before God.” Thus the first consolation lies in this, that “the Lord is near,” and in the promise: “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20). Here is another consolation, which in affliction, misfortune, and every sorrowful circumstance serves as a healing medicine. What is it? Prayer, and thanksgiving for everything. Therefore He wishes us not only to ask in our prayers, but also to give thanks for what we have. How will one ask for the future if he does not know how to give thanks for the past? “Always,” he says, that is, in every matter, “in prayer and supplication.” Therefore we must give thanks for everything, even for what seems grievous. This is the mark of one truly thankful. The first, thanksgiving for all things, is required by the very nature of things. The latter, thanksgiving for what is grievous, comes from a thankful soul deeply devoted to God. Such prayers are pleasing to God, but to others He does not listen. Therefore pray for what is pleasing to Him. He orders all things for our benefit, although we do not understand. Even the very fact that we do not understand is most beneficial.

He must not take them upon himself needlessly and at random. Yet neither should he decline or reject duties that arise from some necessity and according to God’s dispensation, using prayer as a pretext.

Rather, he must discern the difference between prayer and other occupations, and serve God’s dispensation without questioning.

Whoever thinks otherwise does not believe that, according to Scripture, one commandment can be higher and more principal than another. According to the prophet’s word, he does not want to “direct himself toward all the commandments” (Ps 118:128) that come to him by God’s dispensation.

Although necessary tasks that meet us providentially are unavoidable, untimely occupations must be rejected, with prayer preferred to them.

Above all, we must reject those occupations that draw us into great expenses and the accumulation of superfluous possessions.

As much as one limits these things in the Lord and cuts off their superfluous matter, so much does he keep the mind from distraction. As much as he keeps the mind, so much room does he give to pure prayer.

In this way he shows sincere faith in Christ.

If someone, through little faith or some other weakness, cannot do this, let him at least know the truth. Let him press forward according to his strength, blaming himself for childishness.

It is better to be held accountable for deficiency in works than for delusion and self-exaltation. Let the Lord’s parable of the publican and the Pharisee assure you of this.

Therefore let us also strive, by hope and prayer, to distance every worldly care from ourselves. If we cannot fulfill this perfectly, let us offer God confession of our deficiencies.

But let us in no way abandon diligence in prayer. It is better to incur rebuke for a partial omission than for complete abandonment.

In all that we have said about prayer and unavoidable service, we need much instruction from God for discernment. We must know when and which occupation should be preferred to prayer.

Each person, practicing the occupation dear to him, thinks he is performing due service. He does not know that all our works must be directed toward pleasing God, not toward pleasing ourselves.

It is still harder to discern that even these necessary and unavoidable commandments are not always the same in practice. One of them must be preferred to another at its own time.

Each service is not performed always, but in its own season. The service of prayer, however, is ordained as unceasing. Therefore we must prefer it to occupations where no necessary need is present.

All the apostles taught this distinction to the people who wanted to draw them into service. They said: “It is not fitting that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.

Therefore, brethren, choose from among you seven men of good testimony, whom we may appoint over this service. But we will continue in prayer and the ministry of the word.

And this saying pleased the whole multitude” (Acts 6:2-5).

What do we learn from this? For people who cannot continue in prayer, it is good to be in service, lest we be deprived of both. For those who can continue in prayer, it is better not to neglect the better part.

First he commanded the fulfillment of virtue and called it meekness. Knowing the difficulty of this work, he said, “The Lord is near,” that is, helping, cooperating, and defending. Now he shows the means by which we receive God’s help and protection. This means is prayer and supplication offered to God with thanksgiving. The Lord, he says, is near you. Therefore “be anxious for nothing.” This agrees with the saying: “Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on” (Mt 6:25). But in everything, at every time and in every circumstance, “by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” That is, by prayer and supplication joined with thanksgiving, ask God for your necessary needs.

Hear what Luke tells of the Apostles: they went rejoicing from the presence of the council, because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for His name (Acts 5:41). If scourges and bonds, which seem hardest of all, produce joy, what else can cause them sorrow?” Our more recent interpreter adds that the Apostle exhorts them to Christian joy, “whose essential property must be constancy. Inconstancy is the lot of earthly joys.” According to St. Basil the Great, “the Apostle invites one always to rejoice, but not just anyone. He invites the one who is like himself, who does not live in the flesh, but has Christ living in him.” Explaining why the Apostle, after exhorting them to meekness, recalls the nearness of the Lord, Bishop Theophan says: “What does an injured man usually say to comfort himself? There is God the Judge; He will repay. If to this one adds the conviction that this Judge is about to appear, there can be no better means for calming a troubled heart.” “But not only in afflictions, but in every circumstance of life, one can cast all one’s sorrow upon the Lord. The Apostle exhorts us to complete surrender to the will of God. He cuts off ruinous over-anxiety, which torments the soul and takes away the heart’s peace. For though you labor, the Lord will give the fruit of your labor. Cast all your sorrow upon Him, again because He is near. Enter with awareness into this truth. When you enter it, and contemplate the majesty of Him Who is near, can you fail to pray? The first condition for success in prayer is to pray in everything, that is, in every need, spiritual and earthly. This is the essence of surrender to God. Second, pray with prayer and supplication, that is, from the depth of the soul. Faith and hope lie at the foundation here. Third, pray with thanksgiving. Fourth, pray by stating the requests themselves. Fifth, pray before God, speaking of things worthy of God, and knowing that you stand before God.” “Do all that has been prescribed, and the peace of God will guard you and be your sentinel. It will overshadow you and keep your hearts and your understandings.” “This peace surpasses every mind both because it cannot be brought within ordinary concepts, and because it comes apart from the mind, in Christ Jesus. To taste this peace is the same as communion with God. Communion with God takes place only in Jesus Christ, by the way held by the one Orthodox faith.”

They must constantly think on truth in general, “whatever things are true,” and give this truth its fitting and honorable form, “whatever things are honorable.” In relation to others they must show justice. Their conduct must be unstained. It must make them agreeable members of civil society and bring them praise. In general, they must make virtue their constant aim, together with that praise which falls to the lot of virtuous people. The best example for them in this regard is the Apostle’s life, which fully confirms his instruction and teaching.

Yet in these words one can also see a lesson for all circumstances of life, not only for sorrows. Cast all your care upon the Lord, for He cares for us.

The Apostle teaches perfect surrender to the will of God. He cuts off the destructive burden of many cares, which usually torments the soul and robs the heart of every peace.

Here he proposes the same thing as the Lord, when He said: “Do not be anxious about your soul and body,” and, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow” (cf. Mt 6:25, 34).

There is a heavenly Father. In the Apostle’s words here, “The Lord is near.” This does not encourage idleness. It cuts off evil care, which adds nothing to our labors or their success.

It only torments the soul and wears away the heart. The Savior exposed precisely this passion when He said that, just as you cannot add to your stature by anxiety, so neither can you add good success in affairs.

Labor, then, labor. But what will come from the labor, entrust to the Lord to determine. Receive what He gives.

For though you labor, the Lord gives the fruit of the labor. Cast all your care upon Him, again because He is near.

If we accept this thought, we shall have in the Apostle’s words a complete guide for attaining a peaceful state of heart. We shall also secure success in spiritual life.

As we have seen, he has already cut off desire by his rebuke of those who please the flesh. He cut off anger by the commandment concerning meekness.

Now he cuts off evil care, animated by love of possession. Whoever cuts off these three things has cut off all bonds and entered the realm of spiritual freedom.

But one in whom they still have determining force does not yet know what freedom in the Lord is, however small their hold on him may be.

Having surrendered yourself in everything to the will of the Lord, Who is near, take up a vigilant and attentive thought toward Him. “The Lord is near.” Enter consciously into this truth.

When you have entered it, can you fail to stand in awe, thinking of the majesty of Him Who is near? And can you fail to pray, thinking that He is the Father of mercies?

The Apostle now brings us into prayer. “But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

The Lord is near. Leave your cares, and tell Him what you need. Here are the conditions for success in prayer.

The first is to pray in everything. That is, pray in every case and in every need, external and internal, spiritual and worldly.

Do not think that you can succeed in one matter by yourself and ask another from the Lord. This is double-mindedness, the mark of a disordered spirit.

Everything is from the Lord, both great and small. In everything flee to Him. Receive everything as from His hand, even when you yourself have labored.

In this lies the essence of surrender to God. In this also lies the first condition for success in prayer.

The second is to pray “by prayer and supplication.” That is, pray from the depth of the soul, and do not merely pronounce prayerful words with the tip of the tongue.

Whatever you pray for, you must feel your need for it. You must also know that you can receive it only from the Lord.

If everything is from the Lord, then one must dispose oneself in this way toward everything. Then prayer will always be with feeling from the depth of the soul.

Faith and hope lie at the foundation here.

The third is to pray with thanksgiving. Basil the Great advises beginning every prayer with thanksgiving. Give thanks for what has been received, then ask for something new.

Saint Chrysostom says: “The Apostle wants us not only to ask in prayers, but also to give thanks for what we have. For how will one ask for the future if he does not know how to give thanks for the past?

Thus we must give thanks for everything, even for what seems grievous. This is the mark of a truly noble person.

The former, thanksgiving for all we have, is required by the very nature of things. The latter, thanksgiving even for what is grievous, comes from a well-ordered soul, wholly surrendered to God.”

The fourth is to pray by stating your own requests. You feel a need. You believe and hope that you can receive it only from the Lord.

Tell Him this as you know how and as you are able. Many ornate words are not required. Speak as you feel. Speak in your own words.

The speaking of prayer proves your faith that the Lord is near and listens. “Let them be made known,” gnorizestho, means: let them be brought to God’s knowledge.

Let God know your needs.

The fifth is to pray by stating your requests before God. If you know that God exists, then when praying before God you will not dare make a request for something you know is displeasing to Him.

Pray for things worthy of God. “Such prayers are pleasing to God, but He does not heed others. Therefore pray for what is pleasing to Him,” says Saint Chrysostom.

Or “before God” means with an undistracted mind and reverently, knowing that you are before God and are conveying your requests into God’s ears.