*Text: Phil. 4: 7*
“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
This is a great promise for the day and the hour in which we are living right now. The world is full of many troubles, turmoil and conflicts and these things tend to create unrest in the lives of many. Many are permanently in a state of panic, many are disturbed at the thought of what tomorrow will bring to them. Many are living in a state of fear and anxiety due to the rising wave of insecurity in the country and all over the world. Many due to financial challenges and bad business climate are in a state of depression and some have become suicidal. In the midst of all these we have this great promise from scripture telling us that the peace of God is available for us and this peace will protect our hearts and minds from all negative things that will like to creep in there to disturb our rest.
There is something very important about this peace of God, we are told that this peace transcend all understanding, it is beyond understanding, it is a peace that allows you to remain at rest and undisturbed even when we are surrounded by trouble and disturbing developments. We can have peace in times where having peace does not make sense.
When the world talks of peace, it is circumstantial. If there is a lack of conflict, or if there is freedom from violence, if everything is going well, there is money in your bank account, you are doing well in your career, your children are well behaved and making good grades in school, then the world says there is peace.
But God’s peace sustains us through all circumstances. The Greek word for peace in this passage can be understood as the peace of mind which comes from reconciliation with God. Because I am reconciled to my heavenly Father, I can pray and present my worries, my anxieties to Him. When I do that with thanksgiving, the peace of God guards my heart and mind. This nearness to God allows me to experience a true, deep sense of peace – whether in comfort or hardship.
The peace of God keeps life’s challenges from paralyzing us. This peace does not make our problems go away, at least not immediately, but it helps us to keep our perspective focused on God, which provides hopes for endurance. God knows the difficulties that we will encounter, and He equips us for them. God provides for us, He protects us, He shields us and He loves us. Even when we might be tempted to doubt that God is doing any of those things in our lives, we can read of His faithfulness to His people throughout His word, and know that He is working behind the scenes. We can wait for Him with confidence and peace that His timing is always perfect.
So whatever situation you find yourself, maybe you find yourself surrounded by unfavorable circumstances, bring the presence of God into that circumstance through prayer and the comfort from His word and His peace will flood your life lifting you above that circumstance to a place of safety and rest. Shalom.
Prayer Point
1. Father I thank you for your peace that is available to me, thank you that through this peace, you have protected my heart and mind from all negative things that will like to creep in to disturb my rest.
2. Thank you Father that through the disturbing developments of this year you flooded my heart with your peace.
3. Father through whatever circumstances that I may go through the rest of this year and beyond, your peace will continue to sustain me in Jesus name.
4. Father the closer I am to you, the greater my peace. May I never be separated from you in Jesus name.
5. Father may your peace continually lift me above every unfavorable circumstance and bring me to a place of safety and rest in Jesus name.
A good article tho! Keep it up