I pressed the red button on my cell phone to signal the end of a conversation with my daughter who was in college. Instead of jumping up with a spring in my step, I sat for a minute acknowledging my dejection. Would my prayers for her ever be answered? I couldn’t solve her problems, and even if I could, she wasn’t interested in my wisdom. She continued to struggle, and I continued to pray, but despite my prayers, I couldn’t shake my distress. Why wasn’t God answering my requests for her? I suffered silently while she continued to suffer.
Emotions may be a gift from God, but the emotions I felt weren’t improving my life. They were making me feel worse. Where was the peace that surpasses all understanding? As someone who follows Jesus and knows the Bible well, I wondered why the peace promised in this verse was so elusive to me. What did I need to do to tap into that promise?
Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) says,
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)
This is one of my favorite Bible verses because having peace, regardless of our circumstances, sounds glorious, doesn’t it? If we want to protect ourselves from feeling worried and anxious, we just need to trust God. Trusting him would give us peace. I trusted God, but I wasn’t feeling peace. What was I doing wrong?
I wish there was a simple check list that we could follow that would help us find peace during seasons of uncertainty and suffering, but unfortunately, I’ve learned that it’s not that easy. Instead, I have learned that peace during difficult times comes with truly believing the promises of God and trusting Him for provision, even if we can’t understand His plan.
Do you trust God in all situations?
It’s one thing to say we believe in God’s plan, but it’s another thing to actually trust Him when our circumstances are spiraling out of control.
When problems dominate our lives and undesirable outcomes threaten our future, we naturally feel anxious. Maybe an unexpected health diagnosis or an unpleasant financial liability, or an unprovoked relationship struggle has appeared in your life that has opened the door to an unwanted outcome.
What are you facing right now that you wish you could solve but you can’t?
Scripture is filled with people who intellectually trusted God, but when the ground beneath them shook, doubts crept in that diminished their faith. Enthusiastic, loyal Peter gives us a front row seat to how this looks. Peter emphatically states his love for Jesus in John’s gospel. Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him, and twice Peter firmly affirms that he does. When Jesus asks Peter to confirm his affections a third time, Peter replies, maybe with a hint of frustration but a lot of determination,
“Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
John 21:17 (NIV)
Peter’s declared affection for Jesus implied that he trusted Jesus. After all, love and trust are intertwined. And yet, when Jesus later invited Peter to walk on water, Peter’s faith faltered. He left the boat without hesitation and took a couple of steps on the waves. But when Peter realized that he was walking on a surface that wasn’t solid, Peter began to sink.
Focusing on Jesus, Peter experienced a miracle without worry or hesitation. When Peter focused on what he could see and understand, Peter sank.
Where is your focus?
Are you logically looking at what makes sense, or are you trusting in a Savior who can help us beyond our understanding?
We should do everything we can to solve our own problems including using the latest technology, modern medicine, friends’ advice, and our own wisdom to find solutions. However, if we find ourselves feeling anxious and despondent, we need to remind ourselves to fix our eyes on Jesus, whose ability to solve problems goes beyond our understanding.
Sometimes simply shifting our gaze from our circumstances to our Savior isn’t enough to bring peace to our souls. Sometimes we need a dose of faith for our doubtful hearts. If I knew how God was going to work out my situation for good, and why He is allowing this trial in my life, I would be more willing to trust Him. Can you relate to this?
God knew we would wrestle with wanting to make sense of events in our lives, so He gave us a Helper. The Holy Spirit helps us believe that God knows better than we do how to resolve things, even if we can’t understand how.
When our thoughts are spiraling and we can’t find rest for our souls, we don’t need to pray the perfect prayer. We don’t need to remember to cover every detail that must fall into place, and we also don’t need to repeat ourselves over and over, reminding God of our anxiety. We simply need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us believe. The Spirit can replace our doubts with faith.
When the Spirit re-aligns our gaze toward God and gives us faith to believe, that’s when God unlocks the floodgates of peace and allows it to permeate our souls.
After another discouraging phone call with my daughter, I shifted my gaze, and I realized that I had a choice to make. Could I trust Jesus to help her? As we ended the call, I recognized what God wanted me to learn. He wanted me to trust Him and believe deep down that He was good enough, powerful enough, and capable enough to help my daughter. My daughter’s problem wasn’t my problem or my journey. As much as I loved her and wanted to offer encouragement and support, God wanted me to learn that right now, He was all she needed. I prayed for Jesus to help her, and I asked the Spirit to help me trust Him to work in her life, regardless of the outcome, and over time, my burden lifted.
I spent the next few years praying fervently for her, and I must say, the road she walked was different and harder than the one I wanted for her. But Jesus was faithful! He heard my prayers, and He was working in her life. She later confessed that she reclaimed her joy when she fully surrendered her will to His and started to believe that His plan for her life was better than her own.
Jesus didn’t need my problem-solving skills. He needed my surrender to His authority in her life, and in my own.
The answer was in Romans 15:13 (ESV) all along but I just couldn’t see it. This verse says,
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Romans 15:13 (ESV)
We trade anxiety and despair for hope and peace when we believe in Jesus’ promises more than the outcomes that we can see and understand. Sometimes, many times, we need help from the Holy Spirit to believe.
If you are struggling with anxiety or dejection over unwanted circumstances, remind yourself to shift your focus. God sees our challenges, and He loves us. He may remove the problem we’re facing, or He may choose to walk us through it. Either way, remembering His promises quiets our anxieties. And sometimes, we need to ask Him to help us trust Him. Doing both of these things allows us to experience the peace that transcends all understanding.
All it takes is a little dose of humility to admit that we don’t have the answers.
He is, and always was, the answer.
If you want more on trusting God during this season of parenting, listen to the following MomQ podcast episode on spiritual growth. Podcaster, Jayme Gradwell, “She Speaks Life” ,authentically shares her journey of learning to surrender to God’s plan. She shares insight into how He guided her through challenging times and proved His faithfulness to her over and over again. Her inspiring story serves as a powerful reminder that God never abandons us, even in our moments of doubt.
MomQ founder and teacher, Candace Nassar, speaks to Jayme Gradwell. Discover Jayme’s heart for Jesus and her passion to come alongside women to disciple as they navigate motherhood.
At MomQ we believe that motherhood is a calling from God. While it is both a privilege and an honor, it is by no means easy! Moms have a lot of questions/concerns and need caring support along their journey. Whether you are a brand new mom or a little more seasoned, MomQ is here to help you fulfill your God given role. Don’t see a group in your area? Contact us today about starting one in your community!
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