COMFORT IN TRIALS
The Surpassing Peace of God Guarding Our Hearts and Our Thoughts
Phil. 4:6-7 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses every man’s understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
In Everything, by Prayer and Petition with Thanksgiving,
Letting Our Requests Be Made Known to God
Paul charges us “in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” The words in everything refer to the many different things which happen to us day by day. Under the Lord’s blessing, many positive things happen, and we hear good news. However, we also experience negative things and hear bad news. Nevertheless, in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, we should make our requests known to God.
Bad news or difficult situations may cause us to worry or to be anxious. We find the antidote to this anxiety when we pray, practice communion with God, and enjoy the organic union. Then spontaneously, even unconsciously, the peace of God is transfused into our inner being. This transfused peace becomes the counterpoise of trouble and becomes the antidote to anxiety. From experience we know that through prayer we receive this antidote to anxiety when the peace of God is infused into us. Having the peace of God as the counterpoise to our troubles does not mean that the troubles will disappear. The troubles remain, but we have a counterpoise. Furthermore, the poison of anxiety is still within us, but we have an antidote—the peace of God transfused into our being through our fellowship with God in prayer. When we enjoy God as our peace, we are made calm within. (Life-study of Philippians, msg. 27)
The Peace of God Surpassing Every Man’s Understanding
God not only energizes us within but also guards and protects our hearts and our thoughts. We have a great deal of worries in our mind. Perhaps we are able to temporarily set aside our worries at night when we go to sleep, but as soon as we wake up, our mind begins turning again. We worry about our job, our business, our health, our homework, and many other things so that our whole being is full of anxiety and without peace. But Philippians 4:7 says that the peace of God, which surpasses every man’s understanding, guards and protects us. This peace is God Himself. When we have outward difficulties, God guards us from within so that our hearts are not troubled.
He Guarding and Protecting Our Mind
that We May Have Peace in Our Entire Being
We who are lovers of the Lord can testify that many times problems come to us and we do not know what to do, yet if we would just turn our hearts to the Lord and offer praise and thanksgiving to Him, immediately there is an unspeakable peace that calms us so that we do not have any anxiety. Without peace, we cannot enter into the enjoyment of Christ. Hence, we must let God be the peace in us to guard our hearts and our thoughts. This is what the resurrected Christ is doing in us today. As the God of peace, He not only operates and energizes in us but also guards and protects our mind that we may have peace in our entire being. In this way we can then enter into Christ to enjoy Him. (CWWL, 1983, vol. 1, “The Subjective Experience of the Indwelling Christ,” ch. 8)
Prayer:
O, Lord Jesus, Praise You that You are the peace of God. You have the peace which surpasses my understanding. When I have outward difficulties, please guard me from within so that my heart is not troubled. Lord, I open to You and receive You as my peace and my support that I may have peace in my entire being.