“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7, NIV).
I last saw my son, Andrew, more than eleven years ago. The inebriated driver hit a tree, killing my son. Hours earlier on the phone, Andrew said, “Mom, I gotta go,” as his friends were coming to pick him up. How could I have known that was our last conversation?
A picture sits on my nightstand with Andrew hugging me wearing a big grin. Recently, I anticipated his birthday which comes at the end of May. As this difficult day progressed, I had to get out of the house to relieve my growing sorrow. While driving through the country, tears blurred my view. God, why did you have to take him?
Upon returning home, someone was coming shortly, so I plugged in the iron, grabbed my blouse and threw it on the end of the ironing board. As I set the iron down on the shoulder, a sizzle and a cloud of smoke flared up. Before me lay my melted shirt with a gaping hole. I let out a wail.
Frantically, I texted my small group to pray. I texted a friend. I called my husband. My shoulders shook, “I know I can buy another shirt, but I can’t bring Andrew back.” A ding chimed from my phone; two people assured me of their prayers.
Suddenly, Andrew’s face appeared in my mind. His eyes looked directly into mine, and a wave of peace flooded over me. God strengthened me supernaturally through my friends’ prayers. There is no other way to explain it.
Our finite minds cannot ignite the force that brings us calm, but God’s Spirit can.
Are there days of the year you dread? For example, a day you lost a family member, an anniversary of a divorce, or a diagnosis of cancer? How does your problem hold up in the light of eternity? God sees your sorrow. So, pray. And ask for prayer. And may Christ’s peace surpass your troubled mind and heart.
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