The longer I live, the more I discover that challenges and trials are unavoidable. They are as much a part of life as the air we breathe. Some challenges are the small, daily type. But others are big, and may last for a season (or even several seasons) of our life.
I am continuing to discover that God’s Word has some principles that guide us through these challenges – so that we not merely survive them, but actually have the peace of God in the midst of them.
What are these principles?
1) Pray specifically for your need (not just in a general way):
Philippians 4:6b (NIV) In every situation, by prayer and petition [i.e., a definite request], with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
2) Pray with thanksgiving, by remembering God’s faithfulness in the past:
Philippians 4:6b (NIV) In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.· 1 Thessalonians 5:24 NASB Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
(Let me pause here to say that the preceding principles are ones that I have learned over the years and have proven helpful to me. But the following additional principles are relatively new to me, and are proving to be even more helpful. They are a continuation of the big idea from the previous episode: that we have an opportunity to choose our response to challenging situations.)
3) Pray and worship:
· Acts 16:25-26 NIV About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (26) Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose.
· Application: Imprisoned for their faith, it is likely that Paul and Silas did not know what to do. What is their example to us? They did not merely pray. They combined prayer and worship. This combination brought the peace of God to their hearts, despite their dire circumstances. But it brought more than just inner peace – it also brought their physical deliverance from their imprisonment. Like Paul and Silas, when we don’t know what to do, we should combine prayer and worship.
· Why is the addition of worship to prayer so helpful to bringing the peace of God? My opinion is that:
o Worship leads us toward moving from trusting in ourselves to trusting in God, as we turn our heart and affections toward the triune Godhead.
o Worship is a way of doing spiritual warfare against the powers of darkness that may be involved in bringing the oppressive circumstances to bear on us. Psalm 149:6 (NIV) says, “May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands.” This verse compares worship to a weapon against spiritual opposition.
4) Choose to not let your heart be troubled:
John 14:27 (NIV) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.Application: (I got the following insight on this verse from John Eldredge’s devotional book “Restoration Year.”) This verse is from the last long conversation that Jesus had with His disciples, as He was preparing them for the challenging events of His arrest and crucifixion. Although the existence of challenges and trials in life are unavoidable, Jesus is saying that having a “troubled heart” in the midst of those challenges is not. Jesus would not have told His disciples (and us) to “not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” if it were not possible. He is stating a critically important principle: we actually have a choice to let our heart be troubled or not! How do we choose to not let our heart be troubled? By choosing to receive the gift of peace that Jesus offers to us. “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you… as a gift. Receive it from Me!”
5) Speak to your soul:
Psalm 43:5 (NAS95) Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help [literally, the salvation, the Savior] of my countenance and my God.Application: We are 3-part beings, made up of our spirit, soul and body. Our soul is our mind, will and emotions. This verse shows that we can (and should) speak to our soul, and encourage our soul to “hope in God” and to remember that God is “the Savior of my countenance” and that He is not merely God, but my God.
6) And continue until your soul knows it:
Psalm 139:14 (NAS95) I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully [remarkably] and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.Application: How do we get to the point that, like the psalmist, our soul “knows very well” the wonderful peace of God, especially in the midst of challenging circumstances? By continuing our prayer and worship until our soul feels so reassured that it “knows it very well.”In summary, when you don’t know what to do in a situation:
· Pray specifically and with thanksgiving,
· worship the Lord,
· choose to not let your heart be troubled (by reminding your soul to hope in God), and
· continue until your soul feels so reassured that it “knows it very well.”
Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”