“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 understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” – Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV).
The Peace That Guards Our Hearts
The verse above is one of the main verses that has anchored my heart and mind. As we navigate the realities of a broken world and face challenges that test our resilience and require perseverance, the peace that comes from God alone offers us the confidence to overcome.
When Fear and Anxiety Take Our Eyes Off of God
I have shared before that anxiety has been a familiar struggle in my life, especially in my teenage years. Oftentimes, it arose out of nowhere or was triggered by a particular challenge. Regardless of the source, it can be all-consuming if left unchecked. Similar to anxiety, fear can convince us that our circumstances define our reality. These two emotional states draw our attention from God and distort our perspective. And they are also very common feelings in response to hardship. The Bible tells many stories of people facing trials, hardship, or persecution who must look nowhere else but above for refuge in God and peace as they go through challenging times.
Peter’s Walk on Water with Jesus
A pertinent example that both strikingly demonstrates this and serves as an allegory applicable to all our lives is the story of Peter walking on water. Matthew 14:22 starts with the storm. The disciples were left in a boat in the middle of the water while Jesus returned from praying on a mountain, when the waves built up and tossed their boat. Jesus approached them, walking on the water amid the tumultuous waves, and invited Peter to walk toward Him. As Peter began to walk across the water, he shifted focus from Jesus to the waves, became afraid, and began to sink. Jesus caught him and said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Peter’s experience offers a vivid picture of the Christian life. God allows us to face hardship, and Jesus even said that we will face trials. As the story shows, Jesus will always be there in those times, reaching out to help. And it is up to us to either fix our eyes on the Lord or be overwhelmed by the storm around us and allow doubt, fear, and anxiety to pull us down. One aspect I love about this story is that Christ is merciful and gracious, and even when we doubt, He is still there to save us. Nevertheless, we are empowered by our faith in Christ, so no storm is too big for Him to walk us through, and remembering this truth whilst in the throes of life’s difficulties changes how we respond to them.
We Can Do All Things with Christ
This same principle is echoed in Apostle Paul’s letters to the people of Philippi. Philippians 4:13 is a very well-known verse in Scripture, and rightfully so. It says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The preceding verse, though, adds more context to what the apostle Paul meant exactly when he says this. In Philippians 4:12, Paul writes, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Paul shares that in every circumstance, whether he is prospering or in deep need, he can do all things through the strength Christ provides. In our weakness, Christ provides us with the very strength that we need to overcome anything, so long as we look to Him for help. Holding fast to this truth and believing it in our hearts will give us peace as we move through life.
I pray that God teaches us all to keep our eyes on Him in every circumstance of life, both when we are thriving and prospering and when we are suffering and in deep need of His mercy and strength. May the Prince of peace be our source of solace and strength every day of our lives.
