God’s way for peace when anxiety threatens to overwhelm us
This week, I have had the grand opportunity to share a devotion each morning on the Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC) PrayerNet call. I shared the following devotion on day four. Links to the others can be found in the opening article (posted on 2/16/2022).
And good morning, fellow ambassadors of God’s mighty kingdom.
Today we are going to continue our preparation for successful navigation through the chaos of this decade, and life in general.
I actually learned today’s lesson many years before our house fire, during a season of chaos, when my boss set out to have me fired for sharing my faith at work.
It’s a long story, but the angst between us was ultimately my fault. We had been peers for a time, until a reorg positioned me back under his management and authority. He pressed hard to reestablish his position over me, and I did not take it well. Regrettably, I was too arrogant and foolish to do things his way.
This season of chaos resulted in the first uprooting of pride in my life… and the first open-eyed vision I had ever seen. We don’t have time for the whole story, but I would like to say that I finally relented to God’s work and He ultimately delivered me from the situation.
Along the way, God also taught me how to finds His peace when anxiety threatens to overwhelm us. That’s the lesson I would like to share with you today.
While on probation, and waiting to see if the lawyers would allow my boss to fire me, I started having panic attacks every morning in the shower. I’ve got to tell you; it was an incredibly difficult and chaotic time.
A few weeks into the chaos, I went to a board meeting of a ministry I was just getting involved with. As an opening ice breaker, the ministry founder asked each of us to share our favorite verse and why it meant so much to us.
One of the women there shared Philippians 4:4-7, saying it helped her find peace during difficult seasons. I don’t remember anything else shared in that meeting, but I will never forget Philippians 4:4-7. It became God’s recipe for peace in my seasons of chaos.
Let me read it to you.
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 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.
I am going to read the passage once again, identifying the steps for finding peace as I go.
- Our prayer begins with: Rejoice in the Lord always. Begin by expressing your joy over something in your life, even something related to the chaos.
- This is followed up by: Again I will say, rejoice! Search your heart and mind for something else to be joyful about – a double rejoicing. If necessary, ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
- Step #3 commands us to: Let your gentleness be known to all men. Submit to the Fruit of the Spirit for all your relationships.
- Next, we must acknowledge that: The Lord is at hand.
- Step #5 commands us to: Be anxious for nothing, By grace, through faith, refuse to be anxious.
- Step #6 brings us to the heart of our prayer: but in everything by prayer and supplication, Talk to God about the situation. The Father loves talking with His children.
- Step #7 adds: with thanksgiving, So we thank God for something specifically related to the situation, or for His ever-present help in time of need.
- After discussing the situation and thanking God, we are then ready to: let your requests be made known to God; Ask God, as best as you can, for the thing He wants to give you in the situation.
- And finally, there is the promise: and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. It is important that we intentionally receive the promise of God’s peace in the chaos.
Let me say once again, God is an orchestrator Who works all things to our good. He created or allowed the situation with my boss (who, BTW, was an atheist), and He orchestrated that board meeting to help me find His way to peace.
God has a purpose for every storm He creates, and He creates a purpose from every storm He allows, and His purposes will not be withheld from Him.
The morning after that meeting, as I was reading over the passage, God encouraged me to make a prayer of it.
It has been a few years, and I don’t remember the words exactly, but here’s how it might have gone. As I read, see if you can hear the steps we’ve described.
Father in Heaven, I rejoice in Your presence. I rejoice in the promise of Your protection and peace in this circumstance! I surrender to the expression of Your gentleness to everyone involved – even those that appear to be my enemies. I know You are with me in every trial and tribulation. By Your grace, I refuse to be anxious. Thank You for this opportunity to experience and prove Your love. I pray for Your protection and guidance in this situation. I will not be able to persevere without You. I desperately need You. I receive Your peace and I rest in Your protection, through Your Son; in whose name I pray. Amen.
When I began praying this prayer, the anxiety attacks immediately ceased.
God has encouraged me to use His recipe for peace during other stressful and chaotic situations and seasons – including our house fire adventure.
This is our encouragement for today: The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
As we close, allow me to encourage you with two additional thoughts.
First, this prayer does not function outside of faith. It is not like a magic spell, where we say the right words and get what we want from God.
The Holy Spirit used this prayer to turn my heart and mind away from myself and on to the Lord. He used it to give me God’s perspective. He used it to humble me before my God. He used it to position me underneath the authority of the only One Who could deliver me from myself and my situation.
Secondly, I would be remiss not to point out one other condition for God’s peace in chaos – another step in God’s way for peace. We find it in Colossians 3:15:
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” is a command. “Let” means “do not prevent.” Holding on to the past. Holding on to the comfort you once enjoyed. Holding on to “why me” and “what if”. All our holding on inhibits the peace of God from ruling in our hearts.
So, let me encourage you to practice God’s recipe for peace. Take a situation or relationship that currently threatens your peace, and begin praying as we’ve demonstrated.
Don’t let the enemy steal your peace.
God bless you with courage and grace for the God ordained opportunities and adventures that will come riding in on the continuing storms of this decade.
Humbly yours and forever His,
Rob
P.S. The men on the CBMC PrayerNet call recite an affirmation each morning. Here’s the one we used for this devotion (reckon it to be so in your life): The peace of God surpasses all understanding… it will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Let the peace of God rule in your heart. And let us help others do the same.