Is it possible to have peace during challenges? Yes, it is!
"But how?" You may ask. The answer is by putting our trust in the Lord. Today's verse says God fills us with joy and peace as we trust in Him. The passage connects overflowing hope to the peace of God in our hearts. When we don’t have the peace of God, which comes because of putting our trust in God, we won’t be able to obtain hope.
Jesus told His disciples when He was on earth that they could have peace even in times of tribulation and trouble (see John 16:33). He still says that to us now, because His word does not change.
Lately, God has been teaching me, through different situations and circumstances of life, how to trust Him. He has been showing me that even though I don’t know how or what to do, I can still have that peace that passes all understanding, as Paul describes it in his letter to the Philippians (4:7). I believe He is with me through whatever happens, just as He explained to His disciples.
To have the peace of God in your heart when you are going through tough situations in life is not something that comes naturally. Even so, it can develop as we consistently make the choice to put our trust in God and in His unfailing word.
Dear Lord, please help me trust you completely with everything, so that my heart can always be filled with your supernatural peace regardless of what I go through in life, in Jesus name, Amen.
Go deeper — read the Scripture references in this devotional, and also Matthew 6:25-34. Mediate on them as you allow the peace of God to saturate your heart.
Further reading: Finding Perfect Peace in the Storm