We all go through hard times. Many of us pray to God to rid
us of our troubles or to get rid of the pain or to make things better.
Sometimes we pray for God to help get us through our tough times. But rarely do
we pray for His peace through hard times. We want so badly to be rid of the bad
situations and be rid of the pain. But rarely do we want the peace to maintain
through the bad situations and through the pain.
I recently went through a really hard time where I felt like
giving up on being a good person, giving up on hope, and giving up on faith. I’ve
always tried my best to be a good person and do things the right way. But when
things suddenly didn’t work out the way I had thought they would, despite my
faith and good works, I was left in disappointment and honestly, feeling
selfish because I felt like the situation wasn’t fair. I felt like since I was
working to please God, things should be easy and all smiles. But I had a hard
lesson to learn. Having faith means even though you do what you are suppose to
do, things will still get hard and that’s when you have to keep your faith in
God despite of it all.
I felt like the bad situation was happening for reason. I
didn’t want to ask God why because that sounds like “why me?” and that’s pouty.
I didn’t want to get angry because I knew some kind of blessing was going to
come out of it all. I didn’t want to ask what was the good that was going to
come out of the bad situation because that would take away from me being
patient. So, while in prayer, I just gave God all of my cares (1 Peter 5:7). I
told him I wouldn’t worry anymore, and I handed it all to him. I let him know
that I understood that he sent Jesus to die on the cross that I wouldn’t have
to suffer. I could hand over my worries, my sadness, my hurt, and my depression
to him because he already paid for it ALL. I handed it all over and asked God
to give me peace through this storm. I remembered that God did not remove the
thorn from Paul’s side because his grace was sufficient. So I knew with God’s
grace I could make it through. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
I began to give God the glory and praise for getting me
through the bad time, even though I was still in it because I knew it was only
by him that I would make it anyway. I asked for his peace so that I may endure
to the end. Shortly thereafter, I was blessed with his peace. Even though
things around you look awful and may be falling apart, that God-given peace is
indescribable. Having a calmness and joy inside despite it all because you know
God himself has you at the palm of his hand.
Imagine there is a horrible storm outside. You know how we
(especially us in the country) start to turn everything off and everyone is
balled up with blankets, nervous, and trembling at every crack of thunder or
flash of lightening? That’s how we are through spiritual storms. When we go
through things, we’re ready to shut down and we let fear and worry overcome us.
We get scared it’s going to be so bad we won’t make it through.
But imagine that same storm is going on outside, but this
time you have your worship music playing inside and you’re relaxed on the couch
with a book or a warm bowl of soup. You’re aware of the storm outside, but you
have PEACE because you know you have God’s protection and He’s holding your
hand through it all. John 16:33 says, “I have said these things to you, that in
me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart;
I have overcome the world.” We will go through trying times, but Jesus has
already overcome the world. So be at peace.
I found with peace, there’s a joy that comes with it. When
people see you going through, but you’re smiling and just taking everything in
stride, they don’t understand. At one of the places I worked, the environment
was definitely not ideal. It was stressful, we were mistreated and underpaid. I
had one particular co-worker that just could not understand how I was always
happy even though we worked at the most awful place under the most awful
conditions. It was almost like she was upset with me. She was struggling to
keep up on the job and still didn’t know how her bills were going to all get
paid and here I am walking around like everything is just so wonderful. And
honestly, it was! She couldn’t take it anymore and came to my door and asked
me, “How do you stay so happy with all of this going on?” I simply replied, “Jesus”.
I went on the explain how I knew that
Jesus was going to take care of me. I knew I was ALREADY taken care of. So, I
did my best at that job, and it turned out to be my best year teaching, my bills
were paid, AND I bought my first house, and made it through a summer without
pay and ALL of my bills STILL got paid! I trusted God COMPLETELY and therefore,
I had peace and my happiness came after. I was excited about how God was going
to get me through that situation AND use me as an example to others around me
of just how good and powerful He is.
I found that in the Bible, peace and joy seems to go
together. Romans 15:13 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.” We have hope because we believe in God’s power and with that peace and
joy, our hope is even stronger! Proverbs 12:20 says, “Deceit is in the heart of
those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.” With peace, you have
joy.
Also, Galatians 5:22 tells us the fruits of the Spirit and
what do you think they include? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”.
So, keep in mind that when you are going through, be
patient, have hope, trust in God, believe Jesus paid it all, know you are
covered and protected, continue to do good and be righteous, give your worries
and stresses to Jesus, and you shall have peace, and joy comes in the morning!
(Romans 5:1-11) Peace
with God through Faith and Rejoice!
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