Peace in the Plan

Photo by Kevin Dooley

One of the books I like to use to guide me in prayer is Face to Face by Kenneth Boa. Dr. Boa combines Scripture passages together to be used as a daily prayer guide. He personalizes the passages so that we can pray them back to God in praise, thanksgiving or intercession. It is an excellent guide that I highly recommend.

At the end of today’s guide (Third Month, Day 19), Dr. Boa puts two passages together that I think are helpful in understanding the situations we find ourselves in.

The first text, from Jeremiah, reminds us that God has a plan for us. He is leading us into a glorious future that He has prepared for us. The text is from Jeremiah 29:11 and reads: “You, O Lord, have declared, ‘I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.’”

The second passage comes to us from Jesus’ last night with the disciples. Jesus knew they were anxious about His leaving. He lovingly assured them and us that He will always be with us through the Holy Spirit. He will also give us His peace. The text is from John 14:27, “You leave Your peace with me; You give Your peace to me. You do not give to me as the world gives. I will not let my heart be troubled nor let it be fearful.”

These two passages remind us that no matter what we go through, God is aware of it. More than that, He has a plan for us. So that means our situations are somehow part of that plan. We might not understand the plan in the moment. We might have questions that seem unanswerable. Yet still, God is the Almighty Lord of the Universe who has a plan for us that He is working out right now, and He will never be thwarted.

Our response is not to be one of fear or anxiety but one of peace. And when we don’t have that peace we have the reminder from Jesus that His peace is always there for us to grab hold of. He is giving us the offer of taking a peaceful nap with Him in the front of the boat in the midst of the storms.