Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7
God has been working on my heart. He's been preparing me. Preparing me for a trial.
My husband and I have two beautiful children, and several months ago we talked about embarking on the journey for number three. It wasn't long after, God placed on my heart that this time around would be a little harder. I didn't know what "harder" meant, but I soon found out. Steve and I had a miscarriage. But this blog is less about our miscarriage, and more about the peace and understanding God gave us. How he opened His arms when we cried out and welcomed us in. How he gave us that peace found in Philippians 4:7 that transcends all understanding. The peace that guards our hearts and minds.
Over the last year, Steve and I (separately) have been in bible studies that have deepened our faith tremendously. God used these two studies to strengthen our foundation found in Christ. And oh man, are we so full of joy that we had that foundation because those few days during our miscarriage were hard. So hard. I closet cried more and harder than I ever had. But the joy and peace is found here. I wasn't crying out to God. "Why?" or "how could you?" I cried out for God to protect me. To keep me strong. To allow me to feel the hurt while staying strong in my faith. To consume me with his loving peace. He then gave me the hope that we all hold onto. The hope of eternal life and to be rejoined with those we love.
As Jesus followers, we are all going to suffer for the Lord in one way or another. We should expect it. Over and over in the bible it tells us how suffering connects us to Christ, how it builds character and a confident hope in our salvation. We need to be prepared for these times of suffering so we don't fall away from God but grasp on stronger and harder to his promises than ever before.
The Philippians passage above gives us tools to prepare for these times. Prayer and His word. A constant connection with God to help fill your soul and mind. So when these inevitable trials come, we can fill our hearts with peace and our minds only with Christ Jesus and all that he is. A God that gave up His own son so we may have life. A just God who allowed us, sinners, to come before him as righteous people adopted as his children.
Many year ago before I truly accepted Christ, I had trials in my life and I fell deeper and deeper into sin and a trap of despair. But now with Christ as the center and letting God lead, I feel hope. I have a peace that transcends all understanding. I pray you find that too.
Grabbing hold of Him,