“Jesus did not promise to change the circumstances around us. He promised great peace and pure joy to those who would learn to believe that God actually controls all things.” ~ Corrie ten Boom
That quote was in this week’s readings from an old daily devotional by one of my favorite heroes. How fitting for these times! Even if the state of this pandemic is better by the time this gets published, I’m sure the world’s circumstances will still be far from perfect. And even without pandemics, our lives are often difficult no matter how much we try to make them easier or drama-free.
I’ll be honest; I do ask Jesus to change this or that circumstance for me sometimes. I don’t think that’s wrong. He wants us to take our needs to Him. But we also need to trust Him to give us what we truly need, even when He doesn’t change our circumstances.
Philippians 4:6-7 RSV
“Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Living this out is not easy, though. Once we’ve prayed about something and done our best to trust Him with the outcome of it, how do we train our minds and hearts to recognize and feel this promised peace and joy? Especially during difficult trials, like the one the whole world is facing right now?
I think that can look different for different people. For me, it looks like doing exercises to train my eyes to see gifts that He’s given me that help me with whatever I’m going through at the time. And to take the time to deal with the hard things and negative emotions so they don’t fester and make me cynical or depressed. For me, I’m writing daily gratitudes in a 2020 planner that a friend designed, and writing about my concerns in a journal. But I’m also doing some lists in a notebook that are helping me to process things more visually.
If you’re willing, you can join me for one of these exercises. Grab a pen and piece of paper (or a spot in your journal or even your computer), and make an old-fashioned T-chart of some sort. I’ll make one here, too, and fill it in with some examples from my life. On the left side, title it something like “Concerns” or “Difficult Things.” On the right side, title it something like “Things I’m Thankful For” (or more accurately for me during this pandemic: “Things helping me stay somewhat sane!”). Then, try to fill it in with at least three things in each column. You don’t have to think of things for the right side that answer or counterbalance the left side, but you could.
Things Weighing Me Down Lately
Isolation
Loss of freedom to travel
Worrying about the world (including my friends and family): division, disease and deaths, the economy, etc. Confession: I have been guilty during this pandemic of compulsively needing to check world news on my phone before I go to bed and again when I wake up, just to make sure the world isn’t completely falling apart.
Things I’m So, So Thankful For Right Now
My cat, neighbors, and technology that keep me from feeling too alone
The freedom to go for walks in my neighborhood (and my county now), and the fact that the area I live in is chock full of woodsy trails
My guitar so I can practice playing worship songs, which helps me refocus on Who is almighty, all-powerful, and loves me (Oh, and this sounds trivial next to that, but I’m also grateful for free online guitar lessons)
Now take your lists and talk to God about them. Really talk to Him about them. Tell Him how you feel about the things weighing you down. He loves you and wants to hear it. Then thank Him for the ways He’s blessed you.
Admittedly, doing this once will probably not change your life. It may change your perspective a little. It may not (I speak from experience). But doing this regularly, whether on paper or even just in your mind as you go for a walk, can add up over time. My hope is that you (and I) will gradually experience more and more peace and joy in our daily lives as we turn our concerns and our gratitudes over to Him.
Philippians 4:6-7 RSV
“Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Please feel free to leave comments with what creative ways you are employing to keep your mind and heart healthy these days. I would love to hear them!
Post note: I wrote this post last night. Before I went to bed, I read a devastating story about the plight of a Rohingya refugee woman. This morning I woke up to see the news that protests about race issues are exploding in U.S. cities. I had to take my own advice and journal and pray and ask God to heal this world, and to guide me. I feel helpless as I sit in my cozy little apartment in a relatively safe city while around the world there is reason to fear. So I hold fast to the verses from Philippians. Thank you, Lord, for my safety. Please heal my country and world of the divides that are causing devastation. Guide me to any way that I can help.
About the Author
Jessie is an educator, she currently teaches teens and has taught overseas. She is also a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a (long-neglected) blog about the journeys of women. She is very excited to be a part of the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her trusty sidekick cat, Arwen in the foothills of South Eugene, where she can go hiking within minutes of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.