Thriving In Peace
Have you ever known someone who seems to be at peace regardless of what might be going on?
Have you ever wanted to walk in a kind of peace that is unrattled? Does that idea seem too far-fetched for you?
Did you know that someone can be rich and yet not successful because they spend all their time worrying about the things they must do to keep what they have? That is because true, deep, lasting peace isn’t bought with money and can’t be secured by having more than enough money.
However, true peace is attainable, and the Holy Spirit wants the children of God to thrive in it.
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
It’s easy enough to be told to be anxious for nothing, but how does one actually do that? Well, we know this much based on what we just read, which is that the opposite of it involves prayer and supplication from a place of real faith. You cannot give thanks for something you do not believe you have received. We offer thanks when we are given something. So when we stand in need, and we go to God in prayer and supplications with faith, we believe we have what we asked for, and we believe it as though we already have it even though we do not yet see it in natural. Praying in faith and believing something can put the mind and the heart at rest and peace. It serves to remind us of our relationship with the Father and His love for us.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Where are we most guaranteed to get the truth? The word of God comes to my mind. It is the most reliable source of truth there is. But it is not just the truth we are to think about. Noble exceeds status quo good. Just, is something fair and honest. Pure, we should all understand that concept. Surely, we grasp what a good report is. It definitely isn’t gossip and judgmentalism. Things with virtue and that are praiseworthy. All these we are to meditate upon. Do not just think about them momentarily but spend time dwelling on them and seeking a deeper and more resilient understanding of them so that we might possess them.
Philippians 4:9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Leaders are not mere mouthpieces for our instruction. They are examples. When we see these actions manifested in a leader who teaches them verbally and lives them practically, we should know that means we, too, can do them. When we flourish in our relationship with God, engage in prayer according to faith, meditate on the right things, and then seek to take ownership of lessons as opposed to merely being hearers, peace invades our lives. We are called to thrive in peace!
