“Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]”— John 14:27 AMP
There is a need to accept the fact that in life, there will be situations, circumstances and conditions that will be outside our control. Worrying and being anxious over things we have no control over or what we cannot change, will suck the life, vitality and peace out of us.
King David is a classic example of someone who accepted he could do nothing about a situation he faced. In 2 Samuel 12, David’s son from his relationship with Bathsheba fell gravely ill. Going without food and lying on bare ground, David begged God to spare the child’s life. His advisers and the elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat but he refused!
“Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. ‘He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,’ they said. ‘What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?’ When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. ‘Is the child dead?’ he asked. ‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘he is dead.’ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate. His advisers were amazed. ‘We don’t understand you,’ they told him. ‘While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.’ David replied, ‘I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, “Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.” But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.’” 2 Samuel 12:18-23 (NLT)
David accepted the fact that there was nothing more he could do about the situation since the child was dead. He knew that the death of the child was irreversible therefore no hope and no point in continuing with the prayer, fasting and mourning.
One lesson I, however, learnt from David’s attitude is that prayer should be offered continuously even if a situation seems hopeless. As long as there’s the possibility of God intervening in a matter or situation, we should continue to pray. If our hope, faith and trust is in God, then it’s never too late until it’s too late, and it’s not over until it is really over!
We live in an age that promotes the notion that you’ve not really “arrived” or successful until you have certain things. The quest to meet up and keep up is one of many reasons some people suffer from breakdowns, anxiety and poor mental health.
We will talk more about this in the next blog.
Stay blessed,
LaraLex
Hills and Valleys 