The Peace I Need
LYNN COWELL
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
All three of my kids are marrying in the first six months of 2022. This year.
Yes, you read that correctly.
I don’t have to tell you that these weddings, in addition to the demands of work projects and normal, everyday life, are a lot! And while my family is blessed to have our stress be mostly positive stress, it is stress all the same.
In the past, control has been my go-to relief for anxiousness in times like these. But this time, I am looking to God’s Word for the help I need.
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One morning recently, I read my Bible, figuratively sitting with the Apostle Paul. He spoke to me about how to thrive in this beautiful season.
It’s like he was there, coffee in hand, sitting on the couch across from me, saying: “Listen, Lynn. ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’” (Philippians 4:6-7).
I could hear the Lord, through Paul’s words, telling me not to fret or worry. He challenged me that, each time my mind went to another detail that needed to be taken care of, I should pray first. Let God know (as if He doesn’t already) that I need His help for it all to come together.
Paul’s Holy Spirit-inspired guidance helped me to settle down my spirit and know that, as I reach for Jesus instead of control, He will help me to receive His peace, which I so desperately need.
Paul has every right to tell you and me how to do this. He lived it. His experiences were not joyous, like weddings where I will gain new family members, or exciting work projects where I can use my talents. No, he experienced prison, shipwrecks, snake bites and stoning. (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) We can trust Paul when he says we can let God know our concerns while praising Him at the same time.
Paul says that when we choose to pray and praise instead of worrying, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard [our] hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7, ESV).
So I’ll pray with gratitude on my lips and take the peace Jesus gives as I trust Him to work out every little detail. As I do, I am seeing this practice of prayer not as a one-time or one-day thing but an every-time, everyday thing: I am choosing each day to walk with Him, whatever each day holds.
Jesus, thank You for Your peace that is available to me in every type of situation in my life. I am thankful! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
