The Peace That Surpasses All Understanding
- Lauren
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
“Do not worry 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.” - Philippians 4:6-7
I seek the peace that only God can give, that transcends my understanding. The anxieties of this life can be overwhelming. Yet, God promises His peace to those who turn to Him. That peace may not come in the way we expect, but it, “. . . will guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). We are never alone, we are never forgotten, and we are loved by the One who knows us perfectly.
In recent years, mental health has been talked about more and become more widely accepted. Society has taken steps forward in acknowledging the invisible battles that many people face. Just as our physical bodies ail us, so too can the mind stumble and fall. There are the daily anxieties, but then there are those who struggle chronically with persistent, increased panic. There is the expected sadness and grief that comes with the loss of a loved one, but there are also those who spend years at war with their own minds. Mental health is real, it is important, and it is not a sign of poor faith.
Jesus invites us to turn our struggles over to him. St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians: “Do not worry 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” (4:6-7). It is impossible to not worry about anything. It is a part of life, and I do not believe Paul was expecting the Philippians to never worry. Rather, Paul invites readers to turn over their worries to God; “in everything by prayer . . . let your requests be made known to God”. Keep the dialogue open with the Lord. When something comes up, tell God about it.
Some may say, “God already knows everything, why would I need to talk to Him about my issues?”. God wants us to talk to Him. God wants relationship with us. Psalm 37:4 says to “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart”. God desires a real relationship with His people. He is a good and loving God, who wants you to tell Him everything: the good, the bad, the difficult, the joys, and the losses. Even though He already knows it all, it’s different when we tell Him about it.
When we watch a friend go through something, it means something when they feel safe enough to come talk to us about what happened. In a similar way, I believe it means something to God when we feel safe enough to come to Him with our struggles, especially our mental health. When we turn our difficulties over to Him in prayer, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus”. That peace may take some time to come. It may not come right away or in the way we expect, but it will come.
Mental health is real, valid, and necessary to be acknowledged in the spiritual life. It’s not a sign of weakness of heart, but rather a reflection of the interior battles we all face. I pray that you will allow God into the inner rooms of your heart. Invite Him in, and tell Him everything.
He is listening.
In Christ,
Lauren
All scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible
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