Recipe for Peace

Philippians 4: 6-7 (NLT) - “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

STEP 1: “Don’t worry about anything.” 

At times we have great difficulty keeping our problems in perspective and not worrying about them. In the scripture, Paul tells us firmly not to worry about anything, but this seems almost impossible when we get tangled up in difficult emotion and the challenges of life.  Worry takes hold!  I am sure we can all relate. Thankfully, Paul gives us a recipe for peace and he sheds light on the bigger picture – God’s control over our circumstances.  We can be assured that peace can be ours when we choose to trust Him with our problems.  

STEP 2: “Instead pray about everything, tell God what you need, and thank Him for what He’s done.” 

Paul gives us an alternative – give it all to Him in prayer, tell Him everything and let Him deal with it. Shift the burdens and worries off our shoulders and into His capable hands. Let’s follow Jesus’ example.  He regularly retreated in solitude to be with His Father and pray.  Jesus needed the strength, endurance and peace that only comes from being in God’s presence. 

Thanking God for all He has done and remembering past answers to prayer because of God’s goodness and grace builds our faith, depositing peace and assuring us He can do it again. 

STEP 3: “Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand.” 

God’s peace is beyond understanding – it is multifaceted, encompassing God’s presence and affecting every area of our lives. It is available to us if we choose to accept it. 

STEP 4: “His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” 

Laying down our worries, coming to God with requests and thanksgiving, and practicing a life marked by His peace can be summed up in one word – “Abide” (1 John 15:5).  The word for “abide” in this verse means to “continue”, “remain” and “dwell”. We won’t do this perfectly – however, our unfaithfulness never affects God’s faithfulness. He is patient with our wandering, drawing us back to Himself and He remains, continues and dwells with us. As He does, He guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  

- Jenny Durrheim

Reflection: If you are fighting for your peace, why don’t you try Paul’s recipe.   

Together Prayer: Foster Carers (Foster Care Week)