hope

How to Live in peace

Three Things Are Necessary to Live in a Spirit of Peace

Our world has changed significantly over the past few months. Our peace as a nation has visibly been shaken while navigating a global state of emergency.

Paul gives us three powerful keys to living in a spirit of peace, no matter what is going on. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “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” (ESV).

Pray

Often when we find ourselves in crisis, our emotions are hijacked. Instead of stopping and praying, we start to think about what we should be doing to fix this problem. Or we pace the floor and worry about it.  And Paul says, “Hey, pray!

  • Ask God to be with you.
  • Tell God all about what you are feeling.

If you’re a parent, you probably noticed this about your children – they’ll confess something to you that you already knew.  It wasn’t for your benefit. It was for their benefit. That’s why we want our kids to fess up, take responsibility, not because we need it, but they do.

So when you’re going through a tough time, you need to be able to say, “God, I’m just lost; I’m hurting; I’m angry; I’m scared. And then just pray. When you engage your faith by telling Him all about it, something happens in your own heart.

Pray with Supplication

One of the reasons people go to counselors is to be able to say something in front of a professional that they’ve never said aloud to themselves or any other person. But just to get the words out of their mouths – it’s powerful.

Paul instructs us to pray with supplication. Supplication really means begging earnestly and humbly. It’s saying, “God I need you. God help me.”  Go to God, not only in prayer but also in supplication.

 Pray with a heart of Thanksgiving

To pray with thanksgiving goes right back verse 7, “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.”

We all face difficult things. The time we live in clearly disrupts our peace, but through prayer with supplication and thanksgiving, you can experience His peace.