The apostle Paul referred to a peace that passes all
understanding (Philippians 4:7). What kind of peace can you and I have that
will pass all understanding? We live in a world that does not know real peace. Our
world is in constant turmoil and dismay. This attitude often “rubs” off on the
child of God. Peace does not come by mere accident or mistake. In order to have
real peace, we must work diligently in trying to obtain inward tranquility. Peace is not the absence of problems, but
rather having the proper mindset in the face of problems. It is no secret
that we all face problems! Some more severe than others, but nonetheless we
still all face them. How can Christians find peace in the face of problems? How
can you and I learn to have the peace that passes all understanding in a world
that is in complete mayhem?
I believe that in order to enjoy real peace, you must,
in the first place, trust less in yourself and trust more in God. Many
times, we try to handle daily struggles on our own, and it is soon apparent
that we fall short. The prophet Jeremiah said, “O LORD, I know that the way of
man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps”
(Jeremiah 10:23). You and I are inadequate when it comes to trying to solve all
of our problems alone. We need God’s help each day to direct our steps through his
holy Word. There are struggles and problems that will come about that are too
big for us to handle alone; we need God’s help! Learning to trust less in ourselves
and trust more in God takes time and prayerful effort! Paul gave the real
formula for this peace in the preceding verse (Philippians 4:6), where he said,
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Prayer is essentially
letting God take control because you are not adequate to handle life on your
own. Peace that passes understanding comes about by trusting less in ourselves
and trusting more in God!
I believe that in order to enjoy real peace, you must,
in the second place, work less for yourself and work more for God. An
old familiar saying applies, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” When we are
idle or merely working for our own selfish gain, we cannot enjoy real peace! When
Paul, by inspiration wrote Philippians 4:7,
he was a prisoner for the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was not working for his own
gain, but for the gain of the kingdom
of Christ. When we learn
to busy ourselves with the Master’s work and not our own work, we are on the
road to a peace-filled life. The Prince of Peace said, “My meat is to do the
will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34). When we learn to
work less for ourselves and more for God, peace and serenity will surround our
lives!
May God help us to enjoy the peace that passes all
understanding. “Peace, Peace, Perfect Peace” will be our song when we learn to
trust less in ourselves and trust more in God and when we work less for
ourselves and work more for God! Let’s trust God and work for him, and enjoy
the peace that passes all understanding!
