Seek to Write from Peace Beyond Understanding
Come, Lord Jesus, come!
This may be the cry of your heart at this moment. If it is, I have good news for you, the good news—the euangelion! He is coming because He has already come. He has restored our fellowship with Him through His death and resurrection.
Yet, there is a caveat. He is quick to respond to our cries for His presence when we open ourselves up to receiving Him as He wants to be known. Jesus does not come in response to our agenda. He comes to show us His.
Furthermore, He enjoys being with us. We are His Beloved. He has made a way for us to become like Him. He created us in His image for the purpose of carrying within us the divine nature as we walk on this earth among those that have not yet encountered His goodness.
Peace Beyond Understanding
And, He brings peace with Him: peace in the storms of life, peace in the midst of the impossible situation, even peace which surpasses all understanding.
Yes, peace which surpasses all understanding. This phrase is so familiar to us that we often allow ourselves to pass right our it, giving it a wink from our soul to acknowledge that it’s still true. But this truth is profound; it requires meditation. We would be wise to seek to understand and embrace what “beyond understanding” entails.
Be Anxious for Nothing
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard you hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV).
The context for receiving “peace which surpasses all understanding” is an admonition to not be anxious—about anything! When do we need this peace? Whenever we begin to feel anxious, at that moment and throughout the situation that brings the anxiety on us.
In Everything
“ . . . in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, . . .”
How do we receive it? We are not required to understand how this peace is possible to receive. All that is required of us is to stay in prayerful communication with Jesus, continually giving thanks for all that He does on our behalf and on the behalf of others.
Guard Your Heart and Mind
What does this peace do? It ushers us into the presence of God, that is it announces the presence of the King. It is the very gateway into His Kingdom. His peace then begins to rule and reign in our spirits. His peace carries authority. It is capable of protecting us from the enemy’s schemes and devices.
Our calling as Christians—stated more precisely, as followers of Christ—is not to fight the fight directly. We are called to stay at our position—in effect, to hold our place in rank—by sitting at His feet and allowing His Word to be our food.
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life (Proverbs 4:23 NASB).
If we do our part—“Abide in Me (John 15:4 NASB)—the Lord will do His. It is in the “springs of life” that flows the peace which passes all understanding.
Trust
Few phrases in the Bible summarize the concept of trust more succinctly than Philippians 4:6-7. In times of intense struggle, this verse becomes much more than just a reminder written on a cute plaque to be hung in the kitchen: it becomes our way forward and through all trials, our promise of protection and provision, and our hope of His presence and power at work for us and through us.
As a writer in these trying times, be encouraged to stay true to your calling to write. Don’t be anxious if you struggle with finding time to put words on the page. Instead, spend time seeking Him in prayerful meditation, continually praying for direction and discernment, giving thanks for every idea He gives you.
Expect the words bubbling up through your spirit to contain power, able to carry the anointing of your peace to become “springs of life” for others. Be bold. Write down those words, knowing that He will find a way for them to bring encouragement to the hearts of those that need them.