The Peace of God: Part III

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Philippians 4:6, New International Version

So ... everything.  Everything?  You mean like the other day when I was driving past the state capitol, and I heard a guest speaker being introduced at a political rally, and while circling the block I prayed for a parking space right in front, and when I got there, there was ONE open space?  You mean like that kind of "everything"?

If I took the time I could fill your computer screen ten times over with little 'everything' prayers that I've prayed that God has answered.  It's in the midst of those answers that God's peace resides.  But it's not just in the answer.  If we were only peaceful when God was answering our prayers ... that is, answering them the way we want them to be answered ... then we would be without peace far more than we would be with peace.  The peace begins with the prayer.  The prayer begins with trusting God, and his word.  Trusting him and what he said he would do begins with knowing him as our God.

Do you know what it's like to trust someone completely?  Do you have a friend or a family member or a spouse that you can tell anything to without fear of what they might think about you, or say back to you?  We should probably expect that from our wife or husband.  We might even expect it from our parents or siblings.  So lets think about a friend ... do you have a friend like that?  Is there someone in your life who knows you at your worst ... who has seen you at your worst ... and yet they still love you unconditionally?  Have you argued with them, and yelled at them in the heat of that argument?  Have you cried on their shoulder?  Have they cried on yours?  Have you gone to them when you knew you needed talk something through, knowing that they might respond with what you needed to hear, and not what you wanted to hear?  For me, the answer is yes ... to all of it.  Are you at peace with that kind of relationship?  Now picture that same kind of relationship ... that same kind of friendship with God.  Can you imagine being at total peace with Him as part of your life?  I think I can.

If we can get to that point, where we know God is our friend and our God, imagine how peaceful our life could be.  Knowing that he's always there to say and do the right thing ... to support us and to help us ... and to let us cry on His shoulder.  Imagine that if you can.  If you can't, don't give up trying.  God bless you and good night.