What does peace sound like?

Sometimes, I dig out The Message and want to hear something that helps me get past the language I've always read a verse in and see into it, a deeper meaning, maybe the spirit of the verse, versus the thees and thous.

I read my daily devotional email that I get and thought I'd check out one of the verses in The Message.

^6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

^8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

You know, it's pretty easy for me to worry. I don't consider myself a fearful person but I am a worrier. What's the difference? Haha, I don't know. Maybe I'm delusional about myself. What I do know is that I don't have to worry. God's promised me that the burden is light when I allow Him to help me.

Recently at a Chi Alpha gathering, one of our students shared what she felt God had spoken to her. It was as if, we were at the bottom of a mountain, and Jesus is standing next to us. As we are at the mountain, preparing to hike up, we often times, complain about our hiking pack that we're carrying. We whine about it being so difficult and heavy and wearisome. All the while, Jesus, who is standing right next to us, is wondering why we don't give it over to Him, because He's already offered to help us. Sometimes, it's guilt we're carrying around. Sometimes, it's fear. Sometimes, it's doubt. Sometimes, it's hurt. Sometimes, it's shame.

Jesus, His Spirit, His blood, His power, they can take on any of those bags we're carrying. I'm so glad this student shared that night. She could have been too afraid to share, but she stepped out and I was encouraged.

Which brings me back to the verses. Usually, when I read "In everything, with prayer and supplication" (the verse in an actual translation) sometimes I think praying through something is overwhelming, but I like how The Message encourages me with the wording, " Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns". Reminds me that if I choose to praise God amidst the storm, my praises will be shaped into prayers and praying won't seem so overwhelming.

Next the verse talks about wholeness coming, a beautiful pictures, I think. Then it moves on to, It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

I looked up displace and found:

dis·place (ds-pls)tr.v. dis·placed, dis·plac·ing, dis·plac·es

1. To move or shift from the usual place or position, especially to force to leave a homeland: millions of refugees who were displaced by the war.

2. To take the place of; supplant.

Ah, Christ taking the place of worry. This does take obedience and submission on my part though. When that happens, Christ can become the center of my life. These two verses end by saying "Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies". Reminds me of movies and soundtracks. How lovely music accompanies many of the sweet moments in the lives of characters. That God's way of working everything together, produces a lovely soundtrack for my life.

Now, many Christians like to quote this verse to other Christians who have something bad happen in their life. They quote it as if God causes everything bad that happens so that He can use it for good. No, God does not cause everything in our life that happens. We have free will, we make choices. His Word does promise us though, that He -can- -use- everything to work together for good. I sure am thankful. I am thankful that God's peace, that passes understanding, sounds like a beautiful symphony, harmonizing in perfection.

Beautiful. God, help me to follow Your Word so that I can have a faith and peace that passes understanding and doesn't require an explanation or reason.