Philippians 4: 4 – 7 (NIV) “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 everything, 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.”
One morning, while driving to work, I couldn’t help but be held captivate by the beauty of the morning sky. During the drive, my mind wandered to the upcoming weather event. It was the middle of January and the forecast for the remainder of the week called for snow. As I drove, it occurred to me that every time we have a major weather event the sky is always so peaceful, so beautiful…so amazing. It’s the calm before the impending storm.
Lost in thought and stuck in traffic, I thought back to the foster child we had in our care for 8 short days. My mind landed on the night before we took the little girl back to live with her Grandmother. Not know this would be my last night with her, I held her in my arms rocking back and forth and praying over her. There was an amazing sense of calmness that washed over me. I believe with all my heart it was God letting me know everything was going to be ok. He had everything under control and He could see the big picture. Just like the sky on my morning drive, this was the beautiful moment before my impending storm. For an moment there was peace and beauty and I stood in AWE of God and how he blessed our lives for eight short days with this little girl.
The next day the storm rolled in and the life we thought we were going to have with this sweet child drastically changed forever. Social services called to tell us her grandmother had agreed to take care of her. Needless to say the waves of devastation came crashing in from all sides. This little girl being a part of our family wasn’t God’s plan for our lives. In the days that followed there were several emotions to work through. I knew God was in control of the entire situation… and even though I felt my world was falling apart, I still was reminded of the night before – and the peace and awe I felt.
God’s peace transcends all understanding – even though there was great pain… I was at peace – because I found strength, wisdom, understanding, and rest in HIM.
Father, Thank you so much for being my strength in the midst of a storm. Thank you Lord that I can run to you and find shelter and peace in You. Even though I may not understand your ways sometimes, I know you have a plan and a purpose for my life. Your plans are to prosper me and not harm me, to give me hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). Help me to wait for your perfect timing. For it’s in your Son’s name I pray… Amen.
I think the questions above are best answered by how close a relationship we have with Christ. For the longest time, I responded to life’s little trials with the same knee-jerk reaction…I tried to control the situation instead of handing it over to God and allowing Him work. I soon learned that I walked through the same trial over and over again because I wasn’t looking to the very ONE whom could work all things together for my good (Romans 8:28).
It’s so important to stay vigilant (or alert) with the armor God has given us securely in place. Satan is always ready to pounce on us and will take advantage of any situation in our lives if we let our guard down.
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