Prayer Equals Peace

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33-34).

We all face a certain amount of stress in life.  Sources of stress can range from going through difficult experiences to the rather normal day-to-day pressures that we all face.  Stress can come from work, relationships, children, marriage, health, school, deadlines, and even traffic.  Opportunities to be stressed-out abound.  But God has provided for us a gift of His peace.  To rise above the stress and experience His peace, we need to pray.

It seems that we may tend to ignore prayer when we feel stressed, especially when the to-do list is a mile long.  But that is precisely when we need to draw near to God.  In fact, if you will take the time to regularly soak in prayer, I think you will find that your life will be permeated with an atmosphere of peace that is not dependent on your circumstances.

Change can often be a source of stress.  Recently, Leslie and I have been in a place where we’re feeling pressure to make some decisions regarding our future.  I’m about to graduate from law school.  I have to decide the state where I will take the bar exam and where I want to practice law.  We need to decide where we will live.  I don’t have a job lined up, so I’ve been looking for job opportunities.  And I’ve had the normal day-to-day stress of law school and finishing up my final semester.  Certainly graduating is an exciting time, but also a time of transition and change.  It’s an opportunity to feel stressed.

Success can also be a source of stress.  Jesus experienced success in his ministry, such that “the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities” (Luke 5:15).  The following Scripture says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).  Rather than being stressed by the multitudes pressing against Him, Jesus prayed.  His identity was not in the multitudes.  His identity was in His relationship with the Father.  Whether he was being rejected by people or praised by people, Jesus had peace.

God’s purpose is that you have peace regardless of circumstances.  Whether you are experiencing times of accelerated success or are going through a difficult time, you can have peace when you are rooted in Christ.  When the storm around you rages, you can be at peace.  When the word fumes with anger and fear, you can have peace.  How is this possible?  It is possible because peace is not a place, peace is a person.  Jesus is peace.  If you will pray, you will have peace. 

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).  Recently, my father-in-law encouraged me, saying that the “place” is not important, what God desires is my heart.  Whether we stay in Virginia Beach, move back to Texas, or make our home in Washington D.C. (or some other place), is not as important as our heart for the Lord.  I’ve been stressing out, but when Leslie and I began to pray, we have felt God’s peace in a greater way. 

When we pray, we have peace.  I have determined that I am not going to worry about things, I am just going to pray and trust God.  He has everything under control.  He has the right job for me.  He has the right “place” for us.  I have determined to be fully surrendered to the Lord in every area of my life.  The most important thing in my life is to walk with the Lord, be obedient to Him, and love my wife as Christ loves the church.  I am certainly not perfect, but I am pressing forward to the high call of Christ Jesus.  When I sit back and think about it, my life has been an exciting adventure.  It hasn't been easy, at times stressful, but I am grateful.  I am grateful for the life God has given me.  And I am thankful that when I pray, I feel His peace.      

“Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7