Lent devotion - God's unfathomable peace

​God’s Unfathomable Peace
By Pam Hardenbrook

Don’t worry about anything. No matter what happens, tell God about everything. Ask and pray, and give thanks to him. Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds. He will do this because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood. Philippians 4:6-7

A few years ago I became friends with a woman I quickly grew to love and appreciate. Her story has had a profound influence on my life.

In the 1960s, she and her husband started a manufacturing business that involved using hazardous materials.

In the late 90s, the Environmental Protection Agency filed suit against them, which led to their home and business being condemned and their eventual bankruptcy. Then, her husband developed terminal cancer and died shortly before we met her.

Despite all this, I never met a more joyful person. Her attitude didn’t make sense according to the way the world views such tragedies. The key to her joy was her commitment to prayer and her faith in God.
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She told us that while her husband was dying, many of her friends prayed for his healing. She said she appreciated their prayers, but that her requests were different. Instead, she prayed for three things: that she and her husband would have good conversation (about what was happening and what her future would be), that their love would grow, and that she would have no bitterness. My friend was quick to say that her prayers had been answered, and that as a bonus, God gave her unfathomable peace and joy.

When I grow up, I want to be like this faithful follower of Jesus.
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Prayer: Gracious and loving God, thank you for the examples of your servants and for their testimonies of your faithfulness. Protect my spirit from anxiety as I bring my needs to you with a grateful heart, and may your unfathomable peace and joy flood my soul. To the praise of your glory, Amen.