I’ve been reading Bible verses on peace throughout the month of July. (See 2024 Bible Reading Plan) It’s been good for my soul. Those familiar verses reminded me of things I knew but needed to hear again.

Philippians 4:6-7 was the most familiar one on my list as it was one of the first scriptures I memorized back in my high school days. I still have to recite it in the King James version.

“Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Such a classic verse.
I heartily recommend putting it to memory,
in the version of your choice.

I thought I knew that verse backward and forward, but as always, there’s more.

It was the word “passeth” that got me. Other versions say “transcends.” It means “to surpass, to rise above, to excel, to be superior in rank.”

Here’s what I wrote in my notebook that morning:

Superior in rank. Hmmm. In the military there are levels of authority, like Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, General. Some soldiers surpass or rise above the others and move up in rank. Each step up calls for added respect. The Sergeant can’t walk into the General’s office and tell him what to do. The Sergeant must comply with the General’s commands.

My anxiety is the Sergeant. God’s peace is the General. God’s peace outranks my anxiety—my anxiety has no authority to overrule the peace of God. I just need to keep the order of command. I need to tell my worries and fears that they are not in charge and it is not within their jurisdiction to dictate my thoughts. In fact, those pesky worries need to stand at attention, give a crisp salute and say, “Sir, yes, sir” to the commanding officer, a.k.a. King of the Universe, a.k.a. Prince of Peace.

“Don’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.” ~ The Message