Digging Deeper: Find Peace for Your Heart and Mind
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
FIND PEACE FOR YOUR HEART AND MIND
Pastor Warren Wiersbe writes:
The world bases its peace on its resources, while God’s peace depends on relationships. To be right with God means to enjoy the peace of God. The world depends on personal ability, but the Christian depends on spiritual adequacy in Christ. In the world, peace is something you hope for or work for; but to the Christian, peace is God’s wonderful gift, received by faith. Unsaved people enjoy peace when there is an absence of trouble; Christians enjoy peace in spite of trials because of the presence of power—the Holy Spirit. People in the world walk by sight and depend on externals, but Christians walk by faith and depend on the eternals.
Let’s dig into this commentary a little deeper. Note that worldly peace is highly subjective—changing at the whim of the human condition—and reliant on its own resourcefulness. Godly peace never wavers; it is available through our relationship with Jesus Christ. Righteousness—the condition of being “right” with God—brings with it His inestimable peace, beyond all understanding. The secular worldview sees peace as emanating from one’s abilities and self-motivation. The godly worldview recognizes Christ as the only source of peace. He died so that we might be made right with the Father.
The world sees peace as something earned—something fought for. We, as Christians, see peace as a gift from a gracious and merciful God, obtained through our faith in His Son. The world views peace as the absence of turmoil and strife. The Christ-follower understands that trials and tribulations will come, but the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit gives us inner peace and joy. Finally, the world walks in darkness—blindly following wherever external stimuli lead. Christians walk by faith, focusing on their eternal destiny, rather than being tossed to and fro by the latest fad or fashion.
The mind, according to Scripture, is the center of our understanding and reasoning. The heart, on the other hand, is the seat of our emotions and the source of our free will. Paul reminds his readers that these two critical areas of human existence need constant protection. It is within these centers of consciousness that sin can most easily enter. The peace of God—obtained through a right relationship with Him by our faith in His Son—is constantly guarding these vital yet vulnerable aspects of our humanity.
Think of your heart and mind as a castle. God’s peace is the guard (or sentinel) whose job is to keep constant watch, preventing Satan from breaching our defenses.
Digging Deeper (er):
John 14:27; Rom 16:20; 2 Thess 3:3.
Phil Meade is a father of 3, and grandfather of 5. He has a Masters Degree in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NS. He retired after 8 years as an Air Force pilot, and 33 years as a Delta pilot.