Set ApartSample

Day Four: A Peace Beyond Understanding

It’s tempting to look at Luke 10 and assume that Mary sat at the feet of Jesus completely at rest and confident. But Mary was only human. While she may have been in the right place that evening, I’m sure there were times when she let fear and doubt control her. Did she wonder if she was spending enough time caring for others? Did she wonder if her sister looked down on her for not serving in the same way? 

Self-doubt and prayer can’t exist at the same moment. If our minds are fixed on Jesus, our self-doubt has to bow to his authority. On the other hand, when our minds are filled with worries and insecurity, we cannot experience his peace.

The apostle Paul writes, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7 NLT). 

It might be hard to imagine not worrying about anything. But Paul tells us the reason we can do this is that we can choose where to fix our minds. Instead of worrying and doubting, we can turn our attention to prayer, telling God what we need and thanking him for all he’s done. A life-changing promise comes with this passage: “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.” 

Isn’t that exactly what we need as women—a peace that goes beyond us, a peace that’s not dependent on how well we perform, how gifted we are, how important our work is, or how often we succeed? When Christ Jesus guards our heart and mind, it changes everything. 

By sitting at Jesus’s feet as we see her doing in Luke 10, Mary assumed a position of humility and surrender before the Lord. Sitting in that way meant she could not do anything else. She trusted that what she was doing in that moment was enough. And it was. 

Heavenly Father, I long for your peace. I confess I worry rather than receiving the peace you offer. Help me to fix my mind on you today and tonight. Thank you for what you have done in my life and continue to do. In Jesus’s name, amen.