How to Have Peace

Philippians 4:6–7 is an oft-misunderstood passage. It’s almost become cliché. It’s one of those portions of Scripture easily utilized as a bumper sticker, or seen on a coffee mug, or overlaid on a stock image of mountains or flowers in the local kitsch store. It’s numbered among those verses that have become so familiar as to be considered banal, tacky, trite. But Philippians 4:6–7 is a tremendously comforting passage when understood correctly.

“Do not be anxious about anything…” And the opposite of being anxious, or, rather, the way to not be anxious, is to “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” The word for “requests” refers to a plea or petition—to entreat a sovereign Lord who has the ability and the good will to help us in our time of trouble and worry.

And verse seven gives the result: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is a promise. If we bring our cares and worries and concerns before the Lord in prayer and supplication, He promises to give us peace to guard—to ease and protect—our minds.

The reverse implication is that if you do not have peace, you have not yet truly given God your worries through prayer and thanksgiving. Because—the promise is—if you had, the peace of God would keep your hearts and minds. What a comforting promise indeed!