JULY 8, 2014
Uncertain
Times
Read: Philippians
4:6-9
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. —Philippians
4:7
During a major
economic downturn several years ago, many people lost their jobs. Sadly, my
brother-in-law was one of them. Writing to me about their situation, my sister
shared that although there were uncertainties, they had peace because they knew
that God would care for them.
Believers in Jesus can
have peace in the midst of uncertainties because we have the assurance that our
heavenly Father loves His children and cares for our needs (Matt. 6:25-34). We
can bring all our concerns to Him with an attitude of thankfulness, trusting
Him to meet our needs and give us peace (Phil. 4:6-7).
“The peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding,” writes the apostle Paul, “will guard your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (v.7). To say the peace of God surpasses
all understanding reveals that we can’t explain it, but we can experience it as
He guards our hearts and minds.
Our peace comes from
the confidence that the Lord loves us and He is in control. He alone provides
the comfort that settles our nerves, fills our minds with hope, and allows us
to relax even in the midst of changes and challenges.
Heavenly Father, You
are all-wise, all-powerful, and
all-loving. In the
midst of uncertainties, help me to
rest in the certainty
of who You are. I thank You
that Your peace will
guard my heart. I place my trust in You.
You will keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. —Isaiah
26:3
Insight
Jesus taught us not to
worry, because we can entrust our needs to our heavenly Father who loves us and
cares for us deeply (Matt. 6:25-34; 7:9-11; 1 Peter 5:7). In Philippians 4,
Paul follows Jesus’ example and encourages us to replace our anxieties with
expectant trust and grateful prayer. The “peace of God” (v.7) is not a
psychological state of mind but an inner calm or tranquility. This peace comes
from a confident trust in God who answers prayers (v.6), from a disciplined
spiritual perspective, and from a deliberate practice of Christian virtues
(v.9). Those who entrust themselves to God will not only experience the peace
of God (v.7), but “the God of peace” Himself will be with them (v.9).
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
