Let God’s Peace Rule in Your Heart

“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.” Phil. 4:6-7 NIV

I love these verses. I love the promise of God’s peace for my heart and mind. Just reading the words brings an inner calm I have trouble maintaining amid everyday life. I often forget the sentence before these that tells me how to get this peace my soul longs for.

I’m instructed to present my requests to God in every situation. This is so simple, but I struggle to obey. More often than not, I live like I believe doing everything on my own will bring me the peace I seek. It never does, but I can’t seem to stop this unfruitful endeavor.

As a parent, one of my deepest desires is for my children to know God personally and to seek his wisdom, love, and grace in their lives. But how are they supposed to know what that looks like if they don’t see me petitioning God for all things? Sure, I have a prayer journal, but that’s a morning routine, not a continuous open conversation with God.

So many things happen each day that provide opportunities for me to connect with God and seek his council. Which items on my to-do list should receive priority, for example? What should happen next in the novel I’m writing? Should I text someone a note of encouragement? I could ask for guidance on how to handle issues that arise in our household or the best way to connect with my spouse or children in a specific moment. There is no shortage of life events that can benefit from God’s guidance. And yet prayer is not always my first step.

I saw a glaring example of this when one of my children came home from school upset. One of their friends said some things that made them concerned that their friendship was over. Of course, it was a Friday, which meant any attempt at resolution wouldn’t happen for three days. I listened and offered physical comfort. My heart hurt for my child’s pain, memories of my own painful past with friends surfacing. I offered advice and words intended to comfort. Their father had additional sage words to share when he came home. It felt like the best we could do.

And then, on Sunday night, I prayed for my child and whatever was to come the next morning, and it hit me. I should have prayed with and for them when I first heard the news. I should have brought us both to God’s feet, where he could have provided our hearts with the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Letting that moment slip through my fingers felt like a failure. It was a reminder that I still have so far to go in my faith journey, but I hope that the memory will stay fresh in my mind so that I will choose differently the next time a similar situation arises.

On Monday, I told my child I had prayed for them and the situation. When they came home from school that day, they told me that everything had been resolved, that the friend had been dealing with something personal and apologized to my child. It was one of the potential scenarios I’d suggested on Friday night, which felt like a nod that I was partially on the right track and reinforced my desire to seek God’s wisdom first in the future.

There will be other relationship ruptures in my children’s lives. In my own life, too. If I can remember to seek God in these stressful times and teach my children to do the same, then I think we will all come through them better than if we attempt to navigate them alone. The same goes for any situation that involves uncertainty or decision-making. Actually, anything that disturbs the peace of God that is supposed to keep our hearts calm should be brought to him.

Whenever I feel troubled, I should pray, that prayer should involve thanksgiving, because I know God is faithful. He was faithful to provide parental wisdom even when we didn’t ask. He loves my kids more than I do, and I know they are safe in his hands. I should thank him regularly for his faithfulness despite my spotty track record. God is better than all we could hope or imagine. Let us shower him with praise for all he has done and all he will do because of his great love for us.

Father, thank you for your word that speaks truth and reminds us how to best live. Thank you for your faithfulness. Please help us bring everything to you in prayer and receive peace for our hearts. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (1 Chron. 16:11 NIV)

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Col. 3:15 NIV)

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21 NIV)

Reach for More

Do you also struggle to bring all things to God in prayer? Listen to the song “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and remember he wants to hear about every part of your life.

Megan Byrd enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and introverting. She loves nothing better than discovering a wanted book in a thrift store or hiking alongside a river with her family or a good friend somewhere around her home of Asheville, NC. She’s the author of Take a Chance on Me, a sweet contemporary romance set in Asheville, and can be found chronicling her reading and writing journey on Instagram or writing about life at https://meganbyrd.net/.

Photograph © Houcine Ncib, used with permission