And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 ESV
The peace that a believer has in God is the peace that surpasses all understanding. That is, this peace is beyond human logic. Mind-boggling. And to the average person, maybe even confusing. This peace does not come from chariots, or horses, weapons and devices, strength, or man’s wisdom. This peace comes from God alone. (Jn. 14:27)
It is the kind of peace that Jesus had when He spoke so calmly about His crucifixion (Jn. 18:4-6). It is the kind of peace He had that enabled Him, even while He was being betrayed and wrongfully arrested, to heal one of the people who came to attack and arrest Him (Lk. 22:49-51). The disciples just couldn’t understand why He was so calm. But soon enough, they caught on because it was the same kind of peace they had to remain unmoved in chains and unbothered in a prison cell. It was still this kind of peace that made someone like Stephen look up at the sky and maintain composure in spite of the rocks being hurled at him (Acts 7:54-60).
It is described as “surpassing understanding” because it is usually displayed in the most unlikely circumstances. If all’s well and good, it’s quite normal to say you have peace. But when the situation seems tumultuous and full of uncertainty, that kind of peace is beyond understanding.
This peace that we have in God makes even the most difficult situation appear lightweight. It is often mistaken for indifference, but it is not. The incomprehensible peace of God is just a fruit of total confidence in Him. A confidence that whichever way a situation plays out, God is glorified. When the Hebrew boys were threatened to be thrown into the fire, they weren’t even fazed. They simply boasted of their confidence in God to deliver. And if God wouldn’t show Himself in that way, they were still fine with the outcome (Dan. 3:16-18). Confidence in God will deepen your peace even in the most conflicting situations.
Therefore, even though this peace is beyond understanding, it starts with knowledge—a knowledge of who you are and whose you are. When the storm was raging, and everyone was running helter-skelter, Jesus was calm, sleeping even, because He knew who He was (Matt. 8:23-27). He knew that the winds and seas obey Him. How could He be bothered that what He created could bring harm to Him? Likewise the Hebrew boys knew whose they were.
A believer’s ability to be at peace regardless of the circumstance largely rests on whether they know who and whose they are. If we don’t forget so easily that we are God’s children and belong to Jesus Christ, we won’t get so easily shaken up by challenges.
To have this peace, sometimes you may need a revelation from God. In 2 Kings 6:8-16, the king of Aram decided to send soldiers to attack Elisha. It was early in the morning and Elisha’s servant went out, only to meet an army assembled against them. He was terrified, as expected but Elisha was unbothered. So, he prayed that God would open the eyes of the servant to see that those who were with them were more than those who were with their enemy (vs. 16). Elisha’s unusual peace in that serious trouble came from the revelation that he was not alone. Better still, those with him outnumbered those against him.
Another way we access this peace is by prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to not be consumed by anxiety, to let go of whatever may trouble our minds by praying and making supplications. We are encouraged that instead of allowing anxiety to wash over us, we can make our requests known to God. And in exchange, we get His peace that transcends understanding.
When Hannah was unable to conceive, she would be tormented by her co-wife to the point where she couldn’t enjoy festive periods. But one day, she did something good by taking her troubles to God in prayer. In that place, she exchanged her burden for God’s peace. Through Eli, God gave her the assurance of answered prayers, and she instantly received peace over the matter. (1 Sam. 1:1-18)
In addition, this peace is said to guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). For me, this is what makes it even more extraordinary. Many people have let impure thoughts, evil ideas, and sorrow into their minds and hearts just because they were not at peace. But in God, we receive a peace that shields us.
Finally, keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus anchors this peace. Scripture tells us in Isaiah 26:3-4 that God keeps in perfect peace the person whose mind is stayed on Him. The world is already filled with so much evil, and there always seems to be one upsetting piece of news or the other. But a gaze focused on Jesus will lighten the burden. He reminds us of God’s love, ultimate redemption for mankind, and the new world order that is to come. Jesus is the peace of every believer. It is through Him that we have peace in God.
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