The Pastor's Pen

            Scripture tells us, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3, NKJV). In that season, my mind was stayed on test results, surgery schedules, and worst-case scenarios. Slowly, subtly, I stepped onto what I now call the slippery slope of anxiousness. God’s peace did not abruptly leave; it slipped away as I tried to manage what was never meant to be carried by human shoulders alone. Even home was no refuge. My bed brought no rest. The stress manifested in ways I could not ignore- I began to sleepwalk. Though my body lay down, my spirit never truly rested. I was honoring God, yes, but I was doing so through a rushed life. Instead of taking time to pray, I found myself praying on the way. Communion with God became compressed, squeezed between responsibilities, as if the Lord of peace could be relegated to the margins of my schedule. Philippians 4:6-7 gently but firmly speaks into moments like these: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Notice the order. Prayer is not meant to be an afterthought or an accessory to a busy life- it is a pathway to peace.

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            Then, one day, just as subtly as peace had slipped out of my life, it returned. Nothing immediately changed with my parents’ medical situations. The hospitals were still there. The diagnoses were still serious. But something in me realigned. I recognized that while my parents’ well-being was indeed a priority, my life had gotten out of order. I had placed urgency where intimacy with God should have been first. As I intentionally settled myself before the Lord- unhurried, honest, and dependent-I remembered a truth I had long preached: when God is first, everything else finds its proper place. Jesus’ words echoed in my spirit: “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Seeking first does not deny reality; it rightly orders it. I stopped trying to shoulder the weight of my parents’ sickness. Instead, I made my petitions known to God, and I thanked Him- not only for keeping them, but for carrying me. Gratitude became the gateway back to peace. I was reminded that peace is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of God ruling the heart.

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            Jesus Himself promised, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be trouble, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Peace guards us when we release control and trust the One who never loses it. Today, I write not merely as a theologian or pastor, but as a witness. The peace of God is real, powerful, and sustaining. It is not found in managing life better, but in surrendering life more fully. When we place God first, pray without rushing, and trust without reservation, we do not lose time-we gain peace. And that peace truly passes all understanding.

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I receive Christ’s peace in my heart, trusting Him to calm every storm and guide me with courage.