Phil 4:6, 7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Peace in the heart, even if circumstances have not yet changed; the deep trust that the Lord will do all things well; rest in the soul – this is what we desire for our life of faith. As we learn from this passage in Philippians, this is possible.
Here are two examples from Scripture:
- “She wept and did not eat … I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; … I have poured out my soul before the Lord … And the woman went her way and ate, and her countenance was no longer sad.” (1 Sam 1:7, 15, 18)
Hannah, who is suffering greatly from her childlessness, pours out her soul before the Lord, full of pain, distress, and anguish. After this scene, we are told that her face changed. The tears were gone; something was probably shining in her eyes. And what was it? The peace of God. Her situation was still the same- she had not become pregnant during the prayer and had not heard a divine voice that she would become pregnant: unchanged circumstances, but a changed heart.
- “They cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer; it is I; do not be afraid‘” (Mt 14:26, 27)
It is similar with the disciples, who were panicked by the storm they found themselves in. The Lord Jesus does not change the situation (immediately) but first encourages them. His message: “Dear disciples, you can be of good cheer even if the circumstances have not yet changed!” Our inner peace often depends on what is happening around us. However, the peace of God is above that.
Are you in difficult circumstances that have perhaps not yet changed despite much prayer? We can encourage ourselves that the promise in Philippians 4:6.7 applies even then. The peace of God in your heart and mine is not dependent on the circumstances!