Devotion 4: Peace Of God
“Do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:6–8
“Peace.” This word means many different things to many different people. For some, peace is silent resentment, the quiet between storms where nothing has truly changed, but at least no one is yelling anymore. For others, peace is the product of hard work and perseverance. It is the calm after the storm.
When we look at the biblical definition of peace, it looks different. It looks like thirteen men on a boat in the middle of a storm, and twelve of them are panicking, fearing for their lives; but one man is asleep, no concern, no fear, no anxiety, just calm. When the others wake Him, He does not respond with panic or anxiety. He speaks and says, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39). In this excerpt of Jesus's life we see that peace is not based on circumstances or the storms around us. It is an internal reality, an internal state of being rooted in God.
The Greek word for peace carries the idea of quietness, calmness, and being made complete or whole. To have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding is to be made one in Christ. His ways become our ways. His thoughts become our thoughts. We no longer view the world through the lens of selfishness or fear, but through surrender, trust, and rest.
The only way to live in the peace of God is through surrender to Christ. It is being honest and truthful about our fears, anxieties, anger, and frustrations. God does not ask us to put on a mask of peace. He does not ask us to pretend everything is okay. He invites us to bring our requests to Him, trusting that He is in control. Our fears and anxieties are already known to Him, but He invites us to hand them over so He can carry them for us.
Today, set your mind on whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is excellent, and whatever is worthy of praise. Set your mind on Christ, on His goodness, on His love, on His victory, and on His power and majesty.
Take time today to make a list of your fears, anxieties, pain, anger, and frustrations. Offer that list to God as an act of surrender. Then shift your focus to who He is, what He has done, and how He is at work in your life. There is likely far more to thank Him for than we realize.