Supernatural Power
I’m praying for you to have peace which surpasses all understanding.
My heart meant well. I’d talked and prayed about this kind of peace mentioned in Scripture umpteen times for friends and loved ones. It became my go-to thing to say. What a good pastor’s wife should say. For me, it turned trite. But I soon discovered it goes much deeper and is more substantial than ever imagined.
A friend, Cory, faced surgery. Sending her a phone text, I asked how she was doing and expressed how I was praying for her to have peace. Cory admitted to being afraid, her mind thinking of all the what-if scenarios.
So I called to pray with her, quoting Scriptures about peace. She needed comforting peace and words to hang on to with all her might. We talked and prayed to a God who hears and cares about us.
I knew by memory. Still, I never totally got it. I just knew if it surpasses all understanding, it must be good. The best peace available.
As soon as the call ended, I picked up my Bible to read the passage. My mind thinking, there’s something to this. I first read the verse before it:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (ESV)
There in black and white on the pages of God’s Word, we find the preliminary cause for unrest. “Do not be anxious.” Then we come to the word “but.” Instead of being anxious, we pray, adding thanksgiving to our requests. We replace our anxiety with a thankful heart.
The desired outcome?
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (ESV)
Here’s the wow factor. Feast your eyes on these synonyms of surpass by Google: “excel, exceed, transcend; outdo, outshine, outstrip, outclass, overshadow, eclipse; improve on, top, trump, cap, beat, better, outperform.”
Folks, there you have it. God’s peace is better and beats anything I muster up in my own power. It trumps anything the world offers us. God’s peace outshines it all.
God’s supernatural and so is His peace. It transcends all natural forms. It outdoes. It overshadows. It outperforms every single time.
And when you thought it couldn’t possibly get any better, it does.
“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed. But my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” (ESV)
What a promise! A guaranteed pledge God’s peace is never eliminated from our lives. It exceeds everything else out there. God never breaks promises. He’s the true promise keeper.
God forms a peace covenant with us. It’s at our disposal every time we take anxious thoughts to Him. When we make our requests known to Him. By praying with thanksgiving to Him. Expecting peace from Him. And knowing the best peace comes from Him.
Philippians reminds us our peace lies in Christ Jesus. Christ made peace between us and God on the cross and He’s still in the peacemaking business.
Cory’s surgery and her road to recovery went well. I continue to pray for my loved ones and myself to find the road to peace when we have troubled hearts.
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” (ESV)
It’s supernatural peace. Peace with superpowers.
Copyright © Karen Friday 2015
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