My Devotion
My Heart
Peace that Overrides
Understanding
Teresa Jenkins
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! …Do not be
anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcend all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4, 6-7
There is a peace that goes
beyond my understanding that pushed though all my anxiety yesterday. As hard as the decision was to make, my help,
whatever, I could possibly do is inadequate to God’s power, mercy, grace will
do in the circumstance I am enduring. I cannot fix this circumstance, I cannot
make it better.
The determining factor to peace
is release. As I prayed, in my broken
heart and through my anxiety God’s peace gently flowed through me. God did not give me an itemized itinerary to
His plan of action, but I heard Him say, “I’ve got this, do not be anxious I
have heard your cries and I will restore.”
Oh the overpowering love that takes hold of you when you surrender.
Anxiety will literally crush
you and keep you defeated. Anxiety
defined, an
unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession
or concern about some uncertain event.
Now if you can just think of all the hazards to your health that anxiety
causes and at the same time does not solve the problem, or circumstance you are
going through. Have you noticed that
Anxiety is a prevalent issue in health? It
takes over your whole being, life, and everything you do. I suffer anxiety
silently, it’s always smoldering just under the surface and when something does
arise that I know I cannot do anything about, it will escalate to points of
physical pain and illness. My mind
obsesses over every detail that I know I cannot change or do anything about,
but the Bible tells me something different, I can do something.
Philippians 4:4-9 is God’s assignment in
every kind of trouble. He first says
Rejoice in the Lord always. Be
gentle. Do not be anxious. In everything by prayer and petition (write
it down, share it with your prayer partners, getting others to pray according
to His will with you) with thanksgiving give your requests to God, make your
presentation to your Father who in heaven.
Then here is what God will do for you, His peace that is over all your
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The mind of Christ will take over and with
every anxious thought that tries to push you back will be held captive in the
power and might of God. Thoughts of
whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, anything that is
excellent or praiseworthy will fill your thoughts. Think on them, put them into practice and the
God of peace will be with you.
I have done that and when my heart feels
anxious, He reminds me, “I’ve got this.”
All you have to do is Rejoice, the good news will arrive right on
time. We don’t have to know how God will
do what He will do, or the details of His plan, that is not our concern. Our part is only to trust, praise, worship,
and rejoice in the victory that is at hand.
Even if the victory does not look like anything we wish for, God always
works everything out for the good to we, who love Him and we have been called
according to His purpose. Giving God the
glory for He is worthy.
Don’t be anxious, Peace that overrides
understanding is within reach, it’s in His hand of mercy reaching out, it’s all
good, take His hand, He will because He already has. Remember God is already there. Dwell in the shelter of the Most High and you
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
