The Peace that Passes Understanding

NOTE: For the rest of November, I will share Thanksgiving moments written by other authors.
Today's devotional was written by Susan Merritt.
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Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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.
Philippians 4:4-7

This passage is one of hope, reminding us that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. However, that peace is contingent upon our obedience to a couple of commands.

The first is to rejoice. We know this is important because it’s mentioned twice. God often repeats Himself in Scripture to emphasize a point. We can also know that God enables us to rejoice since He commands us to do so.

Second, we are to be anxious for nothing. This seems difficult in and of itself, but God graciously explains how we can be anxious for nothing. So how can we be anxious for nothing? By praying with thanksgiving while rejoicing, we let our requests be known to God. Rejoicing and thanksgiving go hand in hand and precede the peace of God that guards our hearts and minds.

This Scripture reminds me of my granddaughter, who struggled greatly with extreme anxiety. My daughter created for her what she called a “Brave Book” to take with her when needed. In this book were pages of photos of her friends and family, along with written prayers that she could pray over others. She included several Scriptures, and one was this Scripture quoted above in Philippians 4. When my granddaughter felt anxious, she would read this book from cover to cover. Her mom’s rule was that she could pray for anyone or anything, but not for herself during the anxiety attack. She also had to include praise and thanksgiving when she prayed. This helped her to focus on the Lord, and every time, God’s peace would flood her heart. She brought that book to my house, and I witnessed this little miracle for myself.

So, let’s rejoice in the Lord with thanksgiving this season, focusing on the goodness of God and experiencing the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Prayer:

Father,
          We rejoice in You! Thank You for all You have done for us. Thank You that You are always present to bring us comfort and peace in times of trial as we turn our hearts in thanksgiving to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen