A Promise of Peace
In the past month, our world has completely changed. When things seem to spin out of control, when we experience loss, it is natural to feel many emotions; anger, sadness, anxiousness, grief... But, what do we do with them?
Right before the pandemic, the Lord was teaching me about coming to Him in a time of need. I don't think this is any coincidence! Over the past few years I have struggled with insomnia. Not until recently though did I realize this was spiritual attack. I would lay awake, sometimes I was anxious, but other times I was not anxious which made it all the more confusing. I would lay there awake, trying to will myself to fall asleep, which would only make me angry.
About 6 months ago, when I was having trouble sleeping, I began getting out of bed to pray. This was life-changing for me. Ever since fighting insomnia with prayer, I have been able to sleep well again.
Prayer is a powerful gift given to us by our Heavenly Father. It is also a powerful weapon to use in spiritual battle. Why do we so often neglect prayer?
What was holding me back was shame. I believed the lie that I was too much of a burden or nuisance. There are obviously much bigger problems in the world than me laying awake at night! (Like God can't handle them all or didn't want to take the time of day to listen to my small problems). This is such a lie!
The truth is that God wants us to be needy - to need Him! Phillipians 4:4-9, I have always known these verses, but always focused more on the promise and not the command.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
The command here must be really important because Paul mentions the command and the promise twice in the same passage. The promise is this - when you are anxious, come to the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. Come to Him and He will give you peace!
Those lies I was believing were holding me back from this beautiful promise. We should not fear coming to our Heavenly Father. He wants us to come to Him.
If you also can fall into believing the same lies, here are few nuggets of truth to combat them in God's Word:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. -Hebrews 4:15-16
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. -Ephesians 2:4-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. -1 Peter 5:6-7
During this time of social isolation, we are not isolated from God. He is with us and He wants us to come to Him. It has been my prayer that as we experience grief, suffering, anger, sadness, we go to His throne of grace and mercy so that we may receive the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Right before the pandemic, the Lord was teaching me about coming to Him in a time of need. I don't think this is any coincidence! Over the past few years I have struggled with insomnia. Not until recently though did I realize this was spiritual attack. I would lay awake, sometimes I was anxious, but other times I was not anxious which made it all the more confusing. I would lay there awake, trying to will myself to fall asleep, which would only make me angry.
About 6 months ago, when I was having trouble sleeping, I began getting out of bed to pray. This was life-changing for me. Ever since fighting insomnia with prayer, I have been able to sleep well again.
Prayer is a powerful gift given to us by our Heavenly Father. It is also a powerful weapon to use in spiritual battle. Why do we so often neglect prayer?
What was holding me back was shame. I believed the lie that I was too much of a burden or nuisance. There are obviously much bigger problems in the world than me laying awake at night! (Like God can't handle them all or didn't want to take the time of day to listen to my small problems). This is such a lie!
The truth is that God wants us to be needy - to need Him! Phillipians 4:4-9, I have always known these verses, but always focused more on the promise and not the command.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
The command here must be really important because Paul mentions the command and the promise twice in the same passage. The promise is this - when you are anxious, come to the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. Come to Him and He will give you peace!
Those lies I was believing were holding me back from this beautiful promise. We should not fear coming to our Heavenly Father. He wants us to come to Him.
If you also can fall into believing the same lies, here are few nuggets of truth to combat them in God's Word:
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. -Hebrews 4:15-16
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. -Ephesians 2:4-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. -1 Peter 5:6-7
During this time of social isolation, we are not isolated from God. He is with us and He wants us to come to Him. It has been my prayer that as we experience grief, suffering, anger, sadness, we go to His throne of grace and mercy so that we may receive the peace that surpasses all understanding.
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