Prayer and peace

We all need peace – parents with crying infants, white collar workers rushing to meet deadlines, teenagers attacked by friends and enemies – all of us.

The apostle Paul says Jesus is the answer.  And thankful prayer is the way we find him.

One of my favourite Bible passages is Philippians 4:4-7.

There, Paul begins by calling on us to “rejoice in the Lord always”. 

I may be overwhelmed by family problems or work problems, but I can rejoice in being a child of God.  He chose me, unworthy though I am.  He tells me he will never let me go.  He assures me that everything will work out for my good in his eternal plan.  He loves me.

Then, Paul gets to the heart of the matter.  I am not to be anxious about anything, but “in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving”, I am to present my requests to God.

Is Paul asking for the impossible?  Is it possible to stop being anxious by praying to God?

I look to the life of Jesus for my answer.

Jesus faced his greatest test in the Garden of Gethsemane.  There he sweat drops of blood as he asked the Father to spare him from the cross.  He knew he was going to bear the sins of everyone on the cross – and, worst of all, the righteous Father was going to turn away from him as the sin-blackened sacrifice.

But, Jesus then spoke these amazing words: “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

From then on, he had inner peace.  His resolve to go to the cross was firm and unshakeable.

I will not have peace if I insist that I get exactly what I want.  Clearly, none of us gets everything that we want.  For good reason.  If we did, we would be spoiled children – self-centred.

But Jesus wants me to be more like him, loving God and loving others.

Jesus found inner peace by doing what the Father asked him to do.  He knew that the Father’s plans were for good.  He found joy in carrying out the Father’s will.

Paul finishes the passage about prayer and rejoicing in Jesus with these words: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

I will find the peace I crave by giving everything into God’s hands and trusting him to do what is best for me