3rd June 2022
The peace of God
Then you will experience God’s peace…
Philippians 4:7 (NLT)
Some people are ‘fixers’ by nature and they are the people who swoop in at the eleventh hour and fix everything. Nothing seems to be too difficult for them. They are blessed with apparent skills that the rest of us somehow missed out on. But sometimes in life there are problems and difficulties that even the ‘fixers’ can’t fix.
Have you ever been in that situation? Sadly, I think perhaps many of us have. What do you do? The answer is simple. Nothing – because there isn’t anything anyone can do but wait and see what unfolds.
How do you cope in such situations and with those scary feelings of helplessness?
I don’t know how you deal with it but many of us turn to the only hope we have: Jesus our Lord and Saviour. We read the promises found in the bible and cling to them for dear life, such as those found in Philippians 4:6-7: ‘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.’
These promises are not some far and distant ideal or philosophical construct. They are real and they are a sure foundation you can build your life on. Without being too dramatic, they make the difference between coping and not coping, between life and death.
How do I know this? Because just recently I witnessed this peace in action, and it could only have come from God. I watched my young daughter-in-law stroke the head of her son, my 18-month-old grandson, brushing the hair from his pale face as his body was slowly shutting down from a virus no one knew how to fight. She quietly sang, ‘Jesus loves you this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’ How could she sing so quietly and so confidently? My throat was aching from the stone that seemed to be lodged there, and yet she sang.
I had seen this peace before, so I recognised it. It was on the face of another young woman and in her words as she comforted me. She comforted me, and yet it was her daughter who was lowered into the grave at the tender age of 10. She told me calmly, ‘I know I will see her again. She is safe now with God.’
Such strong women of faith. I stand in awe and marvel. We too can be these women and men, not because of anything we do, but because of what God blesses us with. He promises never to leave us or forsake us. We can count on him. He is right there beside us, strengthening us, blessing us with his peace.
Fortunately, my grandson’s health improved, and he is now running around like any normal 2-year-old. One can only hope that he is harassing his grateful parents. God blesses us all in many different ways.
Prayer
Our loving Father in heaven, you tell us that you will never leave us to face life and its trials on our own. Help us in our unbelief. Please strengthen us and bless us with your peace. Convict our hearts with the knowledge that you are always there and that with you, no matter what the outcome, everything will be okay. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Study by Jackie Mill
About the writer:
Jackie Mill is a Minister in Grace Communion International and Regional Co-Pastor for Scotland and Ireland.
Local congregation:
GCI, Edinburgh – Edinburgh has a zoom service at the moment. For details email the local congregational contact below.
Local congregational contact:
Peter Mill
Email: edinburgh@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church