Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Philippians is a letter Paul wrote to encourage the Christians in the Roman colony of Philippi, the place where he made the first Christian converts on the continent of Europe and then planted a church (Acts 16).
He starts the letter by assuring them of his prayers and quickly moves to his main bit of advice, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). That should be the daily goal of anyone who is part of The Way, then or now. Paul goes on to give one of the most inspiring and theologically rich descriptions of Jesus in the entire New Testament and adds a challenge to “work out your salvation” (Phil. 2:6-13).
But that raises a question: How are we to do that? Paul answers in the verse we are reflecting on today, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). He’s saying that when you are part of The Way, when you are a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ, you can be sure that God Himself is working in you.
Do you believe that? Maybe when you quietly read your Bible or sit in church you do. But what about in “the real world”? When you feel stressed at work, when things get tough in your family, or when when you struggle with illness? Paul answers, “Yes!” God is at work at those times, too.
That raises another question: What does it really mean that “God is at work in you”? Paul gives a hint in the second part of the verse, “to will and to work for his good pleasure.” In other words, God is not only able to show you the way forward, but also, he can give you the will and spiritual energy pursue it.
Perhaps this analogy will help. Think of a small child who is riding a bicycle and crashes. They are hurting, crying and stuck under the bike. Then along comes a loving parent who lifts the bicycle, picks the child up and puts them back on the seat with a reassuring hug. Suddenly, the child realizes, “Hey, I’m ready to ride again!” And off they go.
That’s what Paul meant when he told the Philippians Christians, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” When you lose your way and your life crashes, God is able to pick you up, restore you, and help you get going again. That’s why this little verse is so encouraging for anyone who belongs to The Way.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, with all my heart I want to be a fully committed follower of yours. But you know that sometimes I lose my way and crash. Thank you so much that even so, you are working in my life. You forgive my sin and give me a new start and a new desire to live the way you always wanted me to. Amen.
Whitney T. Kuniholm
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