How often don’t we all feel like we just need someone to step in and tell us very simply, “Turn right in 100 feet”? \u00a0Some days I feel desperate to have that sort of guidance in a completely tangible way. \u00a0I was feeling that today when I got on the treadmill – no small coincidence here, as I was feeling like I was going 100 miles and hour without getting anywhere. \u00a0While I was doing my obligatory 30 minutes, I was praying Philippians 4:6-7.<\/p>\n
6\u00a0Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.\u00a07\u00a0And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.<\/em><\/p>\n I spent quite a bit of time “discussing” the first portion with God. \u00a0“Do not be anxious about anything” … Wow do I ever struggle with that one! \u00a0It isn’t so much that I am fretting and worrying over things beyond my control the way I did in the past. \u00a0At one point in my life I was on 5 different prescriptions in an attempt to control my blood pressure. \u00a0(How that resolved is a completely different story.) \u00a0The anxiety I feel now is more in the form of:<\/p>\n Several truths from God came flooding into my mind that put me in my place:<\/p>\n Several truths about my own mode of operation also exposed themselves and left me feeling convicted:<\/p>\n Then, the part about \u00a0“in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” <\/em>\u00a0came up. \u00a0It’s easy to be thankful when things are going our way, but God expects us to give thanks for everything. \u00a0That’s a pretty tall order for me some days. \u00a0Be thankful that situations at work are stressful and expectations seem impossible to meet?\u00a0\u00a0Be thankful that my mother is in declining health and is now wheelchair bound in a nursing home? \u00a0Be thankful that everything seems to be crashing down around me? \u00a0Really God?<\/p>\n It reminds me of part of Corey Ten Boom’s story – the concentration camp barracks she was assigned to was completely infested with lice. \u00a0Hardly something I could muster up thankfulness for, but she knew this verse and thanked God for the lice. \u00a0Then it became apparent to her that God was using the lice to protect His work – the prison guards were unwilling to enter that barracks, so she was able to lead daily devotions with the other women there; something they couldn’t have done if they didn’t have the privacy afforded by the lice. \u00a0Many women were comforted by God’s word because of that infestation.<\/p>\n I believe that God is good and constant, and if I believe that, then I have to believe that God is good all of the time; that He is incapable of non-goodness. \u00a0That means that everything is for my benefit, even if the refining sometimes hurts or if I can’t see the reasoning for it. \u00a0I trust and believe that God is there for me 100% of the time – He has my back all of the time. \u00a0What an amazing person to have as \u00a0your back-up! \u00a0What protection and security!<\/p>\n The finishing verse, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”<\/em><\/em>\u00a0\u00a0is just the icing on the cake. \u00a0Not only does He have our best interests in mind, He will protect us while we get there. \u00a0His peace will protect us from the stinging comments and isolation we can experience in this world. \u00a0Isn’t that just the most awesome thing? \u00a0He’s not only launching an offensive attack for our well-being, but He also has the whole homeland security under control – He is protecting the core of who we are with His peace. \u00a0That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt when we feel rejected, left our, or ridiculed; but it does mean that we can snuggle into His presence and reside within the blanket of His peace.<\/p>\n What an amazing God I have!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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