Anxiety, friend or enemy? Notes on the study of Philippians 4,6

Abstract

This article aims to reflect about anxiety on the text Philippians 4.6. It considers the context in which Paul and the community of Philippi lived. Philippi was a Roman colony that can represent the weight of the system in place. Is it possible to live without anxiety in chaotic scenarios or under the pressure to fit into required social standards? Paul seems to pose this question to the Philippians (4.6). Is this just a pauline exhortation or is there anything else here to be understood? Questions like this can illuminate our current walk when answered. The 21st century has been marked by emotional illnesses, and in times of crisis the care for emotional and mental health becomes increasingly necessary. I propose in this study a contextual hermeneutic that can teach us how to deal with anxiety in times like ours and to recover peace and joy in Christ Jesus.