Peace surpasses understanding.

Right now, I am praying for you. I am praying peace over you, in this time of confusion, in this time of contemplating why God would allow such a thing. I had a friend tell me recently, that God doesn’t waste anything. He doesn’t waste an opportunity to teach us, to show us His sovereignty. And I know that can be a hard thing to grasp, in the midst of absolute chaos. But again, you may wonder, how can I give God the glory? In Philippians, Paul is in prison, in the absolute worse-case scenario, yet, he is praising God. God is using Paul’s circumstance, his story, to show us just how powerful He is. The Word says:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! The Lord my Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights!

Habakkuk 3:17-19

I’ve studied Philippians so much, I have read those four chapters back to back, and God still constantly reveals something to me. I’ve learned, that Paul’s situation wasn’t what made him happy, it was God all along. Habakkuk tells us the Lord is our strength, in Philippians, Paul tells us how we can do all things because Christ gives us strength. Us, in this moment right now, because of Christ, we are able to see the bright side of things. I am not an optimistic person– I always look at the negative side of things. However, Christ gives me hope, I would be in a dark place if it weren’t for him. This is something He has given me. He has given us strength, He has given us endurance. And we need it more than ever in this time of uncertainty.

I had to leave the cherry blossoms of Virginia behind early this semester, it felt as thought their branches were grasping ahold of me, begging, pleading me, “please, don’t go.” I didn’t want to go– but something in me told me to. I had peace about going home, and once the dogwoods and the warm Alabama air greeted me, welcomed me in a warm embrace, it reassured me. It reassured me that God doesn’t waste moments like this. No matter what the circumstance may be. It reassured me that the blue mountains will welcome me back when the time is right.

The future is uncertain, I’m sure you have been informed. And now, there is uncertainty more than ever. And you aren’t the only one worrying yourself about what it holds. I have recently stumbled upon God’s truth, and it remains in this fact alone: peace surpasses understanding. We cannot know everything, and if you are anything like me, you are nosey, and like to know things. But I’ve had to understand this: I am not capable of understanding everything. My brain literally cannot physically handle knowing everything. That is why God is beyond us, he is outside of our world. He sees everything. He knows our past, present, and our future. In God’s timing, He will reveal things to you, why He provided this, why He allowed that. Understand that God’s timing is perfect, just like Him. We don’t understand immediately why certain things happen, but I pray peace over that. Peace in knowing that we don’t have to understand everything. Peace and contentment in God’s timing. God will not allow you to dwell in your situation any day longer than He has ordained it. Let peace overwhelm you.