Resting In God's PeacePrøve

God’s Peace When Faced with Difficult News

Hearing heartbreaking news is devastating, even in the best of environments—in the presence of a caring doctor and loving family members, for example. Jamie heard of her odds of developing Alzheimer’s from an impersonal report from a DNA test she took as part of a study of MS. She had been having mysterious symptoms that looked like MS, so the nurse in her wanted to know for sure. The study could provide that information. What Jamie didn’t know was that the results would be shared with her in an impersonal, insensitive way.

As Jamie grappled with the news, anxiety crept in. She became anxious at the thought of AD growing in her brain, and because of her experience with an insensitive doctor, she was intimidated by most male medical authority. She had to make a conscious choice on how to respond to her circumstances. She could take a dark road and take legal action against those who had hurt her by handling her test results and questions poorly, or she could choose a positive path. Jamie chose to be positive and become part of the solution to her circumstances. Instead of having the posture of a victim, Jamie became a fighter and if AD was going to take her someday, she was going down swinging!

God also brought people into Jamie’s life to help her navigate her feelings and offer her opportunities to raise money and advocate for research for AD. As she spent time with her psychologist friend, her anxious, fearful feelings were addressed. Jamie went from feeling crazy, confused, ugly, insecure, and defective to being encouraged and hopeful. Her anxiety lessened as she recognized the PTSD associated with her feelings. Her old tenacity from her past nursing days came back and she was ready for God to use her to combat AD, primarily through research. Jamie’s friends became a part of this, and as they worked together to raise money, she felt the darkness lift and experienced peace and joy.

Philippians 4:6–7 shows us how God’s peace comes to us. As we choose to lean into our relationship with God, bring Him our anxiety, thank Him for caring for us, and ask Him to use us and our circumstances, He gives us a peace that only He can give—it is beyond anything we can understand outside of faith in Him. Jamie learned that this process of finding peace was ongoing. She had to continually choose to face her circumstances in a postive way and trust God to use it, and He did in amazing ways. She went from being crushed by devastating news on an impersonal report to being an advocate for AD research sharing her story with members of the United States Congress. 

Respond

Who do you feel most comfortable sharing your anxious thoughts with? What can you say to God when you feel anxious?

How might validation of your worries affect how you respond to them? Who can support you in this area?

How would you like to experience God’s peace in your challenges right now? How would you like to see your trust in God’s love and care grow?