5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Reasonableness and gentleness characterizes the Saint who is aware of the presence of The Lord
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
A saint is to be reasonable and gentle, not characterized by compulsive action nor volatile emotion. Grudge-keeping and vengeance are to be far from them. All this is characteristic of those who are transformed by the Holy Spirit and who are constantly aware that their Lord is at hand. Would our behaviour and emotional state not come into line where we in the presence of someone of great importance? Would we not defer to them to gauge their reaction in any given circumstance? So will the saint be, who remains aware of the perpetual presence of the Lord.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Let your requests be made known to God
A real awareness of the second-by-second presence of God in our lives permits us to take every moment to Him in prayer and to entreat Him to provide, act or enlighten in such moments. The saint who walks in such a manner with His Lord need not be anxious, but instead know that his Lord is aware and mighty to save 1 and can truly thank Him that He is willing to undertake on his behalf.
The peace of God is greater than our understanding
Should such supplication and prayer nevertheless lead a person through a desert place, just as her Lord was lead by the Holy Spirit 2, a peace which is beyond human understanding will guard only her heart, but also her mind. It is a peace from God Himself, which is sufficient to carry us through all that our Lord wills to lead us through.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Think on God
Once we entreat our Lord to bear our burden, we are to discipline our minds to think on true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and praiseworthy things. Certainly, that points us to only one place: our Lord Himself. Once our minds are at peace from anxiety we are to fill them by thinking on the goodness of God. His character, His creation, His provision, His protection, His gifts, His Spirit, His Son, His beautiful and powerful Gospel. Think on God.
9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Grow in obedience to The Word
As he deals with his daily needs and struggles by delivering them over to The Deliverer in prayer, entering into His sovereign peace and settling his minds on Godly things, the saint is to walk in ever-increasing obedience to what he learns and receives. Whether from self-study or being taught by a teacher or witnessing a fellow saint walking in The Way, the saint is to practice the truths contained in the Word. He is to submit his will and life to God and His ways. Following these practices the saint will not only experience the peace of God, but will experience the God of peace Himself.