The Peace of God

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 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.” Philippians 4:6-7

When times get tough or plans change, we often find ourselves stressed out and desperate for a temporary escape or distraction to relieve the pressures of life. People spend their whole lives working for peace when, unfortunately, true peace is not something that can be achieved: it can only be received. When the Bible talks about the peace of God, it doesn’t assure us of the absence of noise or busyness. God’s peace gives us the assurance that even if we can’t control what is going on in our lives at the moment, everything will be okay because God is still in control. God promises us peace, not the absence of pressure. 

The truth is, you can’t expect God to be the source of your peace if the world is the source of your satisfaction. Praying for God to give you peace while you’re holding on to the things that are bringing you anxiety will get you nowhere. If something in your life is costing you your peace, it is too expensive. Let it go. 

Even if we can’t control our past, present, or future, what we can control is our actions and the things that we do now that will bring us closer to God’s peace. The biggest thing that we can do, of course, is pray and pray continually. As children of God, we are called to faith, not fear.  We know who holds tomorrow, so hold on to that truth, and the lies and deceptions of the world won’t phase you. God is standing beside you, wanting so badly to give you peace that will surpass all understanding, and that no person or thing can take away from you. Let go of your pride and your need to “do it yourself” and allow Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to take your burdens on His shoulders and give you rest.

Written by Hannah, AAA Student