Ask for God’s Peace

By Rick Warren

If we want God’s peace, we need to ask for it. In Philippians 4, Paul tells us, “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” (vv. 6-7). Notice the order—first prayer and then peace. There is a cause and effect relationship here. Prayer is the cause; peace is the effect.

If you are not praying, you are likely to be worrying. And worry is the useless emotion—such a waste. Worry is the opposite of peace; they cannot coexist. Our word worry comes from the German word wergen, which means “to choke.” That is what worry does—it chokes your life. Jesus indicated this in explaining the parable of the sower in Luke 8: “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature”.

When pressure builds up, don’t panic. Pray! Prayer is a tremendous stress reliever. It can be your safety valve. When pressure builds up and you feel as if you are about to explode, open the safety valve of prayer. Turn your cares into prayers.

I once attended a stress management seminar, and one thing I learned is that everyone needs an unconditional listener to unload on. “Talk to your pet” was one of the suggestions. The principle is a valid one: we need an unconditional listener to unload on, someone who will not become stressed out by our dumping on him or her, someone who will not think any less of us because of what we say. But a heart to-heart talk with a hamster is not God’s deal. Who better than God to “dump” on? In fact, Peter uses this image when he says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Lay it on the Lord! God will not be stressed out by what you tell him. He already knows everything about you and loves you anyway. The seminar teacher had the right idea; he just didn’t know the right person to talk to. Prayer, after all, is talking with God. Tell him what is on your mind, what is troubling you, and acknowledge his control of the universe, including your life. Ask him to meet your needs. He can do that better than a whole head of hamsters.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled,” Jesus told his disciples. “Trust in God; trust also in me” (John 14:1). You will not experience true or lasting peace until Jesus Christ is in charge of your life. Remember: peace is not a trouble-free life; it is a sense of calm in the midst of life’s storms.

Quote on Gratitude

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it…William Arthur Ward