Just Don't Give Up! - Part 1: I AmSample
My Peace I Give
I had been experiencing a mild cough and recurring fever for the past two months. That morning, my wife and I decided to walk into a nearby hospital to have a chest X-ray done. The sky was clear, and I was hoping to enjoy some quality time with our daughters afterward.
After the X-ray was taken, we went to have breakfast while waiting for the result. A few minutes later, the doctor called and asked me to meet him immediately.
The doctor informed me that my chest showed an abnormality, a "shadow in the anterior chest," he said, and instructed me to be admitted to the hospital for further diagnosis. We were stunned and didn’t know what it meant. The doctor couldn't explain more from the X-ray result, but he suspected there was a mass in my body.
We sat down in the waiting area. My wife held my hand tightly without a single word. I tried to calm myself down, but anxiety was running through my body. Just thinking of the word “cancer,” my thoughts went wild. I closed my eyes and pleaded to God in my heart, "Please, it can be anything, but not that…". He remained silent.
Then, He reminded me of this verse:
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
I felt the Spirit speak to me in my heart and God allowing me to enter into a season of uncertainty. But in it, He wanted me to trust in Him, stay positive, and give thanks in every situation so that His peace could guard my heart and mind (Philippians 4:6-8). I agreed with the Spirit and asked God to prepare me.
My anxiety slowly faded, and His peace took over my heart. I told my wife, "Everything will be alright. God is with us."
When we are in the wilderness, the enemy will try to attack us with anxiety. If we let fear take control of our hearts and minds, we would not be able to think clearly, and our faith might start to waver. As we can’t and shouldn’t run away from uncertainty, we have to face it with the peace of God.
In John 14, the disciples struggled with fear and anxiety when they found out that Jesus was about to leave them. Jesus had been their Master, and without Him, they were lost on how to continue their journey. Jesus knew their hearts were troubled. So, before He left, Jesus gave His peace to the disciples through the Holy Spirit.
Today, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. This peace has also been given to us, and it is already in us (John 14:27). This weapon is ours. We can ask the Holy Spirit to let us encounter the peace of God through prayer and petition, letting it guard our hearts and minds. Fear may still be there, but now we have the power to silence it again and again.
My friend, I pray that the peace of God will lead you through your season of uncertainty. Everything will be alright. God is with you.
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About this Plan
Are you finding your life journey to be difficult? Are you feeling as though you are in a dark tunnel and there seems to be no way out? Are you feeling as though you are losing hope and are close to giving up? If you are in a difficult season right now, especially if you are battling cancer, this 40-day reading plan will help you to walk victoriously with God.
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