The Peace that Can Not be Shattered

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

In a harrowing story titled “The killing of a nursing student out for a run highlights the fears of solo female athletes” published on Saturday, Carol Capps, 24, who runs regularly in the forested area of the University of Georgia campus, where the body of a 22-year-old nursing student was found earlier this week after she was reported missing from a morning run, said the trails around Lake Herrick always seemed safe, a place where she could get away from traffic and go into the woods for some mental clarity. But that sense of peace was shattered after authorities on Thursday found the body of Laken Hope Riley and arrested Athens resident Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, on suspicion of murder. The victim and suspect did not know each other, and University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark called the killing a crime of opportunity.

And you know, in a world that’s spiraling further into moral decay and getting more evil by the day, it would be easy to allow our peace to become shattered as we worry about the dangers that might be lurking around us. But as believers, we are called to be set apart from the world and to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving” let our requests be made known to God. You see, it’s when we give our worries to the Lord that we have “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” that guards our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus—peace that can be described as tranquility in the midst of chaos and conflict, not necessarily in the absence of it. And it surpasses understanding because it is perfect and complete.  

So by all means, take precautions to keep yourself safe my friend knowing that we live in a perverse and dark world. But refuse to allow your peace to be shattered. God is still on the throne and for that we have nothing to fear. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for your Word that tells us what to expect in these last days. Lord, because of that we know that our world will only continue to become more dangerous but we also know that fear will keep us from going out into the world to be Your hands and feet. Help us to pray when we are anxious so that we would have the peace that only You can give. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!