Prayer and Peace

I need some peace in my life. I bet we all can say that since we live in a fallen world where there is suffering and anxiety all around us. I’m struggling right now with thoughts and memories of past traumas and it’s keeping me awake at night and depressed during the day. I know there’s supposed to be peace in our lives as Christians, so how do I find that peace?

As I’m still looking at a promise a day for my daily devotions from the Bible, I came across two in a row that remind me from where I can obtain peace. It has to come from God and His promises in my life. Specifically, I need to pray and give thanks. This comes from a very familiar passage, but it’s one I seem to forget in the midst of my struggles.

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “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 comprehension shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [New American Standard Bible] So the answer is prayer. Prayer can take many forms but in this passage two things are specifically mentioned: supplication and thanksgiving. I guess I’m not doing enough of either of those things because I’m not experiencing the peace that surpasses all comprehension.

Why don’t I pray more, especially when I’m anxious? I think it’s because I don’t believe fervently that God’s promises for life eternal will come to pass in due time. Another passage that came up in my list of promises this week addresses this. I Peter 3:12 quotes Psalm 34:15 and following. The verse in 1 Peter says, “For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Some other key parts of Psalm 34 include phrases like “The righteous cry and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles” and “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, And saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Also verse 22 in Psalm 34 says, “The Lord redeems the soul of His servants; And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.”

Do I really believe and look for the ways God is delivering me from evil and helping me out in my troubles? Do I let Him heal me when I’m brokenhearted? I confess, I don’t turn to Him enough to do these things. And I have to know that ultimately, He will rescue me from this present life and redeem my soul. I forget to look to the end result and get caught up in my daily struggles. Today, I’m going to try to turn everything over to Him with prayer and thanksgiving, keeping my eyes on the future redemption which is available for the righteous.