The word, "surpassing," means "going beyond." Scripture says, "Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Php 4:6-7). What a concept!
Some translations say "Don't worry about anything." I've heard people suggest that worry is a sin. "Don't ever say you're worried!!" I don't think that's the idea here. I think it's saying, "Worry is unnecessary. Anxiety isn't required. Go with the alternative." The alternative would be prayer and thanksgiving. In those two things we will find ... surpassing peace. To what does the "surpassing" refer? Understanding. This peace is not ... normal. It's not rational. It's not what we'd expect. What is it? It is a pure and simple reliance on God.
We live in turbulent times. Guns, murder, crime. The Middle East, Russia vs Ukraine. Stupid politics and stupid politicians. Sickness, death. Family troubles, work troubles, all kinds of troubles. It's easy to worry. It's natural to worry. It's even sensible to worry. But ... for us, it's unnecessary. If your trust is in the Lord, it's completely unnecessary. King David wrote, "YHWH has established His throne in heaven; His kingdom extends over everything" (Psa 103:19). Over ... everything. This peace surpasses understanding because it's predicated on God's character ... His grace and mercy, His Sovereignty and Omnipotence, His love and His Omniscience. It doesn't make sense ... to the world. Makes perfect sense to those who know Him.
Like many believers, I have committed Phil. 4:6-7 to memory and recite it often. The phrase in that passage that regularly stands out to me is, “let your requests be made known to God.” To my mind, the peace that follows is predicated upon the fact that in every situation that causes me anxiety--and therefore about which I am admonished to pray--God will work and bring an outcome that will develop deeper faith in me through my trial. This peace should surpass understanding so assuredly that if someone asks, “Why aren’t you stressed about this?” I can reply, “Well, God knows about it, so there is that.”
ReplyDeleteI remember a specific occasion when I exhibited no anxiety when everyone else was and someone asked me why. I was able to share the gospel with him because of it.
DeleteI think I would have to disagree with one portion of this. You said that this peace was "not rational". And by the world's view, you'd be right. But it is exceedingly rational from a Reformed Christian worldview that had a Sovereign God that has made promises and is willing and able to keep them. There could be nothing more rational than to rest in that peace that is beyond understanding in that case.
ReplyDeleteI specified, "It doesn't make sense ... to the world."
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