His Peace...Not Yours! (Philippians 4:7)

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Scriptures for study and reflection: Isaiah 53:5; John 16:33; Romans 14:17; I Corinthians 14:33

Today's news is full of strife, confusion, chaos, and pain. The heartbreak of disease and death have been in the headlines for almost a year. Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has ravaged the entire world and caused loss, societal disruption, economic devastation, and dislocation. So many lives, mine included, have been impacted by this global epidemic. I spent most of the summer battling this monster--it was an experience I felt blessed to even survive. The recovery has taken much longer. We now enter the fall with just as much uncertainty, even more casualties, and so much grief and depression from lost friends and loved ones and social distancing. And many times, we feel helpless and sometimes even hopeless.

I’m here to encourage you today: Don’t be discouraged or dismayed. This is not something that took the LORD God by surprise or something he has not seen; He sees and knows all. Take heart. He promised to never leave you or forsake you; He wants you to trust Him, and to rest in Him, in His peace.

Many of us think of peace in the absence of trouble but it is not. When Scripture talks about peace, it is peace in the face of trouble. With our natural minds, this doesn’t make sense; for believers, it does. We will have tragic events in our lives, but we must trust God and rest in the peace that He gives us, peace that passes all understanding. He can give us a supernatural peace that applies to every situation. God’s peace will wrap itself around you. If you trust in Him and keep your mind focused on Him instead of your circumstances, He will keep you in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). He placed it there just for you. Receive His peace today!

Prayer: Eternal Father, we know that You are the Maker of heaven and earth and that you order all things. I thank you for all that You are doing in my life, even the things I don’t understand. I ask for forgiveness for my sins of omission and commission; I know that You are faithful to forgive me and to cleanse me according to Your promise. I know that in this life there will be trouble, but Your Word said that You overcame the world through your excruciating death on the Cross. I surrender this situation [name the situation] to You, knowing that You are able to do all things. LORD God apply Your peace to this situation. Father, I receive Your peace that guards my heart and mind, in the Mighty and Matchless Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.