Where Worship meets Peace.

 “…And the peace which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 

Paul read the verse over and over with his vision blurred by tears. 

Peace that passes all understanding... Peace that passes all understanding...

He had read this statement many times as a Christian. Pastors had preached about it and singers had sung about it, but today he craved to have it right there in his troubled heart. That peace that could rage the storm in his life.

Recently, his life had started to turn up side down like a summersaulting car, tumbling over and over, expecting to land somewhere where everyone could see the ugly damage done. 

First, it was his job. He had been doing so well that he had even expected to get a promotion the following month. But all of a sudden, the company had decided to downsize. He had thought his name wouldn't even be on the list but there he was on Friday, four months ago, clutching his retrenchment letter with an angry fist.

His finances began to dwindle. Soon he had no money to do the things he wanted to do. 

To make matters worse, his younger sister got sick and was hospitalized. Since his parents had disowned them for their faith, he was responsible for everything that happened to her. He needed money to pay her hospital bills.

His fiance, Kemi, who he had hoped would encourage and pray with him, also started to avoid him and she dissolved their five months old relationship after weeks of silence from her. 

He was walking home one dark Sunday evening when his phone slipped from his hands and into a gutter. Though he was able to retrieve it eventually, his phone never recovered from the fall, and today, Paul was ashamed of it, but again, there was no money to buy a new one.

As he had scoured the streets for any job vacancy, he had also prayed and fasted for many days, sincerely believing that his breakthrough was coming,. But the more days rolled into weeks, the weaker his faith was becoming. God had given him so many promises before, when he he had taken it to God in prayer but here he was three months later and still no results.

Peace that passes all understanding... It echoed in his mind as he closed his Bible and knelt to pray. He needed answers from God as to why all these were happening to him. And he needed a timely intervention.

He tried praying but he soon found out that the burden in his heart was too heavy for him to concentrate well on God. Even in the Secret Place, he kept on thinking about his numerous problems. He opened his Bible again and tried to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit but he couldn't get past his pain and disappointment. Frustrated, he cleaned his tears and went to do other things. The devil had blown up his problem to weigh him down, and make him too heavy to fly in the place of prayer. 

But he came back. He came back to the secret place. He knew that if he was going to get any answers, comfort or respite at all, it would come from there. The place where the Prince of Peace lives. He wanted to pray again and even tried complaining to God about his problems and how unfair it was and blablabla… 

The Holy Spirit just whispered one word in his ear; ‘WORSHIP.’

He DID NOT feel like worshiping or praising God. In fact, his whole system fought it. His pain increased and his grief flaunted itself and Satan kept on telling him that it wasn’t fair. But thank God He gave him grace to obey His Holy Spirit.

One song at a time, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, he shifted his attention from himself and his pain and focused on God: This beautiful King, this excellent God, this marvelous Prince… He began to worship Him. He began to call his Father by His lovely names. He began to be happy to just be in His presence alone. He began to thank Him for the things He had done for him… 

 It was a miracle. The cloud of fear, doubt and sadness started to dissipate. The heaviness in his chest started to give way for the Peace of God that transcends all understanding. 

What makes it transcend (pass) understanding? It’s the fact that his problem was still physically there! The things that were worrying him were still staring at him in the face! Nothing had changed in his physical environment. But everything had changed in the spiritual. He was suddenly happy. The peace was mind blowing. At a point, he even began to laugh. Not because anything was funny, but because God had given him that peace and nothing/nobody could take it away from him because it was a gift from his Father. After sometime, his chest cleared up and he was able to shift gears to prayers as God gave him strength.

It was as if God saw that he was now stable enough to hear Him and said to him, “Now we can start.”

And they started. He got to understand some things and was able to pray the prayers God wanted him to pray, instead of his own selfish, entitled prayers. God reminded him that He makes all things beautiful in His time.

He was able to recognize the Balm of Gilead in the painfulness of his pain.

He was able to see the Prince of Peace in the presence of his storm.

He was able to see the Almighty Game changer, Jehovah Overdoer, I AM THAT I AM… in the midst of his grief.

Child of God, when you’ve tried everything and nothing seems to work. When you’ve cried your eyeballs out but there is still no respite. When you have done your possible best to break your fall and mend your broken heart;  When prayer feels less appetizing and more discouraging, let worship be your weapon.

Try Worship... because it works.

Love and Light.

I haven't forgotten you. Muah!😘