Peace that Makes no Sense
Well, now, friend, pull up a chair on this front porch for a little bit of your time today, but make sure it’s ‘a-fore that wide-eyed lil’ ol’ raccoon shuffles up on the porch like he is applyin’ for a dinner invitation. We’re about to be takin’ a little journey into a truth sturdier than a river rock that has not budged since your great‑great grandpa skipped it across the lil’ creek out behind the ol’ shed. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” That is God’s way of sayin’, “Friend, hand Me that worry ‘a-fore it starts chewin’ on you like an ol’ goat munches on a feed sack.”
Life gives us plenty things to fret about. Family. Finances. Health. Jobs. Even that one neighbor who always looks like he’s about to borrow your tools forever. But Scripture does not treat worry like a hobby. It treats it like a trap. Paul does not say, “Try not to worry too much.” He says, “Do not be anxious about anything.” That is a command, not a suggestion whispered politely from the back pew.
But Paul didn’t leave us hangin’ like a possum on a low branch. He tells us exactly what to do with all that worry. Bring it to God. Every bit of it. The big stuff, the small stuff, the stuff you are embarrassed to admit you are fretting over. Lay it out before Him with thanksgiving, even if your voice shakes like a nervous turkey on Thanksgiving week.
And Jesus echoes that same heartbeat in Matthew 6:34 where He says not to be anxious about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. It’s as if the Lord leans real close and whispers, “Child, stay right here in today with Me. I am already waitin’ for you in tomorrow, so you don’t need to be carryin’ both days at once.
And here is the part that makes me want to scream and shout it out real loud from the front porch. God doesn’t promise to answer every, single prayer just the way we want. He doesn’t promise perfect timing or tidy endings. What He promises is peace. Real peace. The kind that settles your heart the way a calm pond settles after a frog stops jumpin’ ‘round in it. A peace that guards your mind like a faithful old farm dog that takes his job real seriously.
Father, teach me to bring every worry to You. Help me trust You with what I cannot control. Fill my heart with Your peace and steady my mind with Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now, mercy sakes, friend, as you think ‘bout findin’ your way on back into your day like a steady little turtle easing toward the pond with a leaf he is mighty proud of, don’t ever be forgetting that worry never built a bridge, solved a problem, or healed a heart. But prayer invites the God of Heaven to step right on into your situation. His peace is stronger than your fear. His presence is nearer than your breath. And when you hand Him your worries, He hands you a peace this world simply cannot explain. You know, friend, it’s that wonderful kind of peace that passes way beyond all understanding!
With joy,
Gwen
