When we need God can we trust Him to provide?
We often come to God in times of great stress, when our world is collapsing around us and we pray. We trust that He hears us, but will He do anything? We know that we are NOT supposed to be anxious, but rather trust that He will provide His peace.
‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ‘ Philippians 4:6-7
This prayer can seem weak. It can seem like a mental exercise without any tangible effect. It can also seem like adding guilt to an already difficult situation. – Don’t be anxious… how Do I control anxiety when my back is against the wall? And if I am anxious does that mean I am not praying enough or repenting enough?
This promise of peace can seem like an emotional sleight of hand, where God transforms my anxiety into calm without changing the situation.
But this is missing the reality of the Peace that God is promising. The Peace here is the Hebrew ‘Shalom’. It is so much more than a non-anxious emotional state or lack of conflict.
Among other things Shalom means:
Absence of War
And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. (Joshua 9:15, NRSV)
Harmonious relationships
Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 16:4-5, NRSV)
Personal welfare of people and animals
So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.” (Genesis 37:14, NRSV)
Prosperity
And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them; they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. (Jeremiah 33:9, NRSV)
Justice
These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD. (Zechariah 8:16-17, NRSV)
Peace of mind
Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. (Psalms 119:165, NRSV)
Shalom is life as God intended it. This promise in the letter to the Philippians includes a good life. It includes a transformation of the economic realities that can often torment us. It includes the tangible things we need to prosper.
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