My Daughter's Peace

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Some time ago, our Lord placed it upon my heart to share a scripture with my then 6 year-old daughter:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

Universal Challenges
I explained to my daughter that, whether we're a child or an adult, we all face problems that can get the best of us at times. All of us succumb to “being anxious” now and again. “It's not a kid thing,” I shared with my daughter, “it's a people thing.”

My daughter was comforted to know that she wasn't the only one who sometimes faces these things. Funny how satan works that way - telling us that we're the only ones who are challenged by this or that. God says different, though. God makes it clear to us that there is one adversary - satan - there is one Saviour - Christ Jesus - and there is one kind of person - people like us.

1 + 1 + 1 = Peace
I asked my daughter what 1 + 2 equaled. "Three, Dad," she replied proudly. "Will the answer ever be four....or five.....or two?" I asked her, and she replied to each question with a smile and a confident "No!"

I then explained to my daughter that God's Word is much the same way; it adds up to the same answer every time, if we'll only practice it as God says.

"When we look at this scripture we find out that 1 + 1 + 1 = peace, my daughter," I said. With her eyes wide and her interest piqued, she asked "How Dad?"

God's Sure Equation for Peace
When it comes to Philippians 4:6-7, 1 + 1 + 1 = peace.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If we:

(1) Refuse to be anxious about a certain thing
+
(1) pray to God, giving Him thanks from our hearts for the things He's already done in our hearts and lives
+
(1) make our request for His help
=
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Sounds good, right? But does it work?

God's Promises Put To The Test
My daughter and I had a 3-step plan from God for peace in the midst of any situation, and we were ready to put it to the test. Once my daughter had memorized the 3 parts to God's equation for peace, she put it into action.

The next time my daughter was upset, I reminded her of the scripture. She stopped and said, "Can you help me remember, Dad?" I simply asked her to tell me what the scripture said, and she repeated it to me, and then prayed to God.

I listened as she tearfully prayed, "Father, I don't want to be sad or angry. Thank you for my new bike. Please help me not to be sad or angry."

Then she leaned up against me and was quiet for a some time. "Do you feel the peace?," I asked. "I feel it, Dad," she said quietly as though she was somewhat amazed that it had actually worked. "I'm not upset anymore."

Like You're Getting Tired.....
After a few days of successfully using this scripture in her life, my daughter came to me with a wonderful revelation.

"Dad," she said, "Every time when I pray to God to help me, it's like I get tired at the end." I didn't understand at first, but then I watched as she illustrated for me.

My daughter lowered her shoulders and deeply exhaled. "Like that, Dad," she said. The light bulb came on inside of me, and I smiled and said "Do you know what that feeling is, my daughter?"

"It’s the peace, isn‘t it, Daddy?," she asked, and I nodded with a lump in my throat.

Simplicity
It's funny how easy it is for us humans to complicate the simplicity of God's Word. In our well-intentioned efforts to greater understand what His Word is saying, we sometimes miss that its greatest power is in its simplicity.

The Apostle Paul urges us to remember and remain in the simplicity that is in Christ. He also tells us that when we believe that Word of God, it works. My daughter's peace has put an exclamation point on those truths for me. She's learning the Word, believing it, applying in her life, and it's working just like God said it would.

How to describe the sweetness of the peace she receives from Him when she prays?

Well, it transcends all understanding.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Matthew 11:25