Israel is at war! Corruption is at an all-time high! Deception has invaded the church! In universities, young people are being brain-washed! People are dying at the hands of terrorists! Threats abound! The news is grim! Yes, our world is scary. It has become a difficult place to live for sure. Here’s the thing… the world the disciples were about to embark upon was just as bad. They would see horrible things and come face-to-face with the same enemy we’re facing. But… just before Jesus left, He promised His beloved ones that He was leaving them with a gift – the gift of peace. In fact, Jesus is the ONLY ONE who can offer this gift.
He said to them… “Don’t be troubled or afraid!” I wonder how often these words rang in their ears every time they encountered a harsh world – a world against God. I wonder if they held onto these words when they watched their loved ones slaughtered or when they were waiting to be martyred or when they heard about what the wicked rulers were doing to their fellow Christians. Yet Jesus said… “Don’t be troubled or afraid.” He has given you and I the same gift. With that said, I believe many Christians are not walking in the blessings of this gift. They are filled with trouble and fear.
As with any gift, you must receive it for it to become yours. So how do we receive this gift? How can we have peace in the midst of this crooked and mixed-up world? Well, Paul answers that in Philippians 4:6-8. I know we know these verses. But Paul really does give the answer to peace. Here are a couple things that come from these verses…
Combine giving over with thanksgiving! Paul said, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” In other words, instead of holding onto all the troubles, keep giving them over to the Lord with thanksgiving. Give it to God right now and at the same time thank Him for all that He’s done. Right now, open your hands and lay it at the Lord’s feet and thank Him for the blessings He has given you. This needs to be a daily thing, though. A continual act.
Put your focus on the right thing! Let your minds be filled with truth. Think about all the things God has done and the way He’s working. In following this principle, maybe we need to take a break for a little bit from the news or social media. I’m not saying forever… maybe a day or two… so that we can refocus. Our thoughts play a huge part in our troubled hearts. Good thoughts = peace of mind.
The gift Jesus left for us is one of the greatest gifts we’ll ever receive. But to walk in it, we need to follow these principles. And when we do, Paul says… “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Let this encourage you today.