Perfect Peace!

Perfect peace!

Isaiah 26:3”You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

About the unusual blunders that Viswanathan Anand committed during the World Chess championship, Magnus Carlsen said: “It really has to do with being put under pressure. And really, that’s all that I wanted to do in this match.” The otherwise cool Anand, lost his peace and the match because he failed to remain calm and composed!

Yep, stress and pressure destroys peace!

You must actually go through some turbulent waters, in order to understand this ‘perfect peace’! Friend, never consider me an epitome of faith or someone who is unshakeable, I am able to write on these subjects because I have been shaken many, many times but the good news is that God did not allow me to stay there shaking in the ground, He picked me up and taught me lessons of faith. I have also wondered, ‘why did God not save the time of all this anxiety, agony and angst and answer us swiftly?’ We would never learn to trust Him otherwise!

It was the first ‘three days retreat training camp’ that we were holding in a grand manner for which besides the main worship hall, we had to book dormitory for men and women, book food caterers, musicians and much, much more. We were getting close to the meeting, besides booking the hall, we had to arrange huge money to meet all these needs. Nothing happened till the last day of our travel to the city; it was eerie! Besides this, we had crossed the due date of payment of tuition fees for my son which was also glaring daggers at us! Never ever be intimidated by turbulence! Now, in the midst of all this muddle, I was the main preacher and I had to get ready for the meetings and preach on ‘faith!’ It is in this scenario we need ‘perfect peace’ to operate! Are you listening? Without running helter-skelter for money, nor hinting to others about the problem, keeping the mind stayed on God to meet the needs is called perfect peace! On the third day of the meeting, as we were about to say the closing prayer, an elderly man whom we knew earlier, came up to me on the stage and handed over a couple of offering covers and left. Miraculously we were able to pay every bill and walk out of the auditorium victoriously; however, we did not have any leftovers, the tuition fees had to be paid as soon as we reach home!!!!! The next day being Sunday, I was invited to preach by a dear pastor in his church, after that service, God met the exact amount that we needed for the tuition fees as well. He is our Provider!

We had gone through umpteen situations like the ones that I mentioned above and most of the time, God did not bail us out immediately – His timing is perfect. Now, a question arises as to how to peacefully cross this period of anxiety? It can be waiting for a visa, college admission, transfer, promotion, operation, scanning report or anything that can give you palpitations; the answer is given by Apostle Paul: Philippians 4:6,7 “ do not be anxious 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.” God bless you!