Philippians 4: 6-7.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Wow! what a great word of encouragement from Paul, written from behind bars, for the persecuted Christians in the church of Philippi. Do you need to hear them today for your whirlwind world that seems to spin out of control? He was all too aware of the discouragements, and difficulties that plagued them. He, himself, had been in similar conditions and was in prison because of the trials that bombarded him, in sharing the message of the Gospel. Paul didn’t speak much of his own discouragement or fear, but instead, he wrote with joy, from a heart of compassion, demonstrating that Christians can be passionate for Christ regardless of their circumstances.
These words were written by Paul to encourage the fearfully anxious to talk over everything with God. To bring each and every issue, situation and circumstance before Him in prayer, being ‘thankful’ for whatever it was that caused chaos in their life and uprooted their peace of mind. It’s tough to be thankful for bad days isn’t it? It’s very difficult to wrap our mind around thankfulness, when everything goes wrong. Those in Philippi experienced more than just bad days. They were immersed in terrible days of torture, torment, and possible death! Yet, Paul exhorts them to be ‘thankful.” Paul knew the secret! He knew that it was only in thankfulness of heart that we can accept what comes. It’s in accepting the situation, that we find contentment and it’s in contentment that we find a healing peace from God that can not be explained. It’s a deep inner, spiritual knowledge that all is well with our soul and with our life, because God is the Master engineer and come what may, through it all, all things are Father filtered and customized to our needs to aid us in spiritual growth and maturity in Christ.
What’s on your heart today. What chaotic circumstances are battering you like a ship tossed at sea? Mark 4: 39, tells us “Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Christ can speak peace into the eye of your storm and into the heat of your struggle, if we ask HIm. Quiet your heart and your mind before Him and Be still! Psalm 46: 10 says “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
When thankfulness to God in all things is our default, We can experience peace in all things! It’s God’s promise! Let Him rebuke the wind and waves in your life and speak His gentle, healing peace into the storm.
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♫❤♫❤♫❤B L E S S I N G S♫❤♫❤♫
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Hope and Healing In Hard Places 