Need Peace?

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6, 7

Friends,
There are so many things that we can become anxious about simply because we live in a world that is full of calamity. How do we live above these feelings of anxiousness? How do we attain to this peaceful way of life? Can we really experience a true peace in the midst of a crisis, in the midst of terrible hurt and pain, and during disappointing circumstances? YES, YES and YES again! We truly can. There is a secret to living this life of peace. Actually, its not a secret at all since it is stated clearly in the verse above. God’s Word tells us to take everything to Him in prayer with a thankful heart. For me, this has taken years of prayer and discipline to train myself to run to the Lord first when I become anxious, overwhelmed, hurt, or disappointed. But, as with any exercise the results are worth it. In recent months I have experienced one difficult situation after another. Each situation resulted in hurt, disappointment, and what could have been anxious feelings. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord has reminded me of this verse and my responsibility to respond appropriately in circumstances or to people. How in practical terms does it work? Let me share with you how I put the Truth of God’s Word to work in my life and release the power of God in my life. When I experience a situation such as those described above:
· I make a conscious choice to pray either silently (while it is occurring) or aloud (immediately afterwards) for God to be in the midst of my response.
· As soon as possible I focus on prayer while obeying His Truth—praying to Him about the situation and thanking Him for it; knowing that He would not allow it in my life unless it could conform me to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28, 29).
· I then ask that His will is made known to me in my response to the situation. I ask Him to comfort me in my feelings and for Him to grant godly wisdom to me as I walk through the situation (James 3:17).

Does the formula above prevent pain in my life? No, not at all nor does it make the situation disappear. However, I can say that in the midst of the situation I do experience His peace. Situations that could have caused me to crumble, become disillusioned with other believers, and challenge my faith have instead caused me to trust Him more, rely on His power and not my own, and grown me even nearer to my Heavenly Father. Praying and thanking Him in the midst of a trial does keep me from responding in my own strength, wisdom, and according to what ‘feels good to me’ at the moment. God’s Word is Truth. These are not words on a page to read and leave there. We are to live by them, walk according to them, and allow them to invade our very being by changing the way we live. God’s peace is available to you today—right now. Let it overwhelm and surround you so that you will experience the ‘peace that surpasses all comprehension’.
In His Love,
Lori