Refilling with Jesus' Peace This Easter

Glancing at Easter weekend on the calendar always brought a level of excitement as a pastor’s wife and momma. It was my favorite weekend of the year, in fact. 

For school teachers like me, Good Friday meant an extra day off to celebrate April family birthdays celebrations. The long weekend also gave us a nice long visit from the grandkids. That always included egg hunts, baskets of goodies, and having everyone together for Resurrection Sunday service.

But in 2020, things changed. Looking at the calendar brought different feelings. We didn’t know what to expect from one day to the next.

Good Friday ended up as just another day of exhaustion for many, and one more day running into the next for tired moms at home with all the kids. It meant anxiety for stressed out students and solitude for elderly or fragile family members.

It was the first time I could ever remember lacking the excitement I’d always had for Easter weekend.

How the Change of Seasons Affects Our Peace 

When life seasons change and what we’ve looked forward to comes to a screeching halt, it can mess with our peace. Uncertainty, worry, and grief over things lost crash in on us, and it’s hard to move forward with a smile on our faces.

We’re told we need to “pull ourselves up” and move on. We’re taught to embrace change. And that may be good advice, but we will continue struggling if we try to do those things without first inviting Jesus into our grief over what has changed, and asking for his peace to replenish us.

What Jesus Taught the Disciples About Peace

The disciples understood facing an uncertain future as Jesus tried to prepare them for His leaving. They  didn’t know what to expect in the next moment, much less the next hour or the next day. They wanted answers and feared the worst, confused by their own anxious thoughts. 

Sound familiar? In many ways, we can relate to what the disciples experienced as they listened to Jesus’ words. In the midst of their confusion, Jesus offered them something beyond what this world could ever provide. He gave them the gift of His peace.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

Jesus knew how hard it would be for the disciples to witness what was about to happen to him. The days ahead would test everything He ever taught about the love of the Father. So He spoke this gift into being right before evil set its sinister plan into motion. 

Jesus said,

“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.” John 14:30-31

Yet even in the horrific acts that followed, the disciples watched how Jesus remained peace-filled while enduring unfathomable hurt, betrayal, and pain. 

Jesus taught an invaluable lesson that day. Not just for the disciples, but for each one of us today. His peace is the only way forward, even in painful times of change.

He was about to face His most difficult time on earth, and He spoke about peace. So why do we, as believers, live stressed out, worried, and panicked lives? By looking at Jesus’ words, we can discover how the same peace that carried Jesus through the cross will carry us through our hardest days.

Since that vastly different season a few years ago, changes keep on coming.

Even though I try to embrace the change and focus on the good, I still fight against fear of the unknown. If this Easter weekend is bringing more dread than excitement in your world, and more doubt than expectancy, take heart my friend in the faith. Jesus prepared the way for us. He has given us the peace that surpasses human understanding.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 ESV)

Find comfort in His gift as you allow your heart to be refilled with His peace today. This year or this season may not look the same as it has in the past, but the truth of what Easter means for us remains the same. Faith. Hope. Peace.

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What to Do When I Pray But Still Feel Down

“And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6b ESV

I’d been praying about my situation for weeks. Friends were praying for me. Our pastors were praying too. But this particular Sunday when I walked into church, the pastor must’ve sensed my discouragement or seen it in the look on my face.

Discouragement has a way of changing our countenance.

During the worship service, he walked up to me and said words that he no doubt thought I needed to hear. Words that would encourage me and help me not feel so down. He said, “God’s got this. You know that, right?”

I nodded in agreement, although what I felt on the inside didn’t match the fake smile I attempted to create on the outside.

Why Do I Feel So Down When I Know God Is in Control?

Truthfully, I knew God had my situation all under control, but for some reason the pastor’s question kept coming back to me again and again. Did I really trust God with my situation? And if so, why was I still feeling down?

When we offer our most desperate prayer to God, we trust Him to work on our behalf with His love, mercy, and peace. We know we can rely on Him in our daily decisions and toughest challenges.

But honestly, when I come face to face with life’s biggest challenges, it’s hard to stay positive, even when I’ve given it to God in prayer.

David in the Bible knew this, as well.

In the verse above, David felt alone because of his circumstances. He had no one to turn to for prayer support. In fact, all his men were so distressed, they talked about taking it out on David.

When he had nowhere else to turn, he knew where to find encouragement.

“Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, ‘Bring me the ephod.’” (1 Sam. 30:7 NIV)

The Significance of the Ephod

”Bezalel made the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.“ Exodus‬ ‭39‬:‭2‬ ‭CSB‬‬

God chose Bezalel, a skilled craftsman, to oversee creation of the ephod and everything else needed for the Tent of Meeting. Exodus 39 gives us a description of these items and their importance to God’s people and their journey toward the land of promise.

David asked Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod because, “He desired to consult God.” In his distress, sending for the ephod signified David’s desire to spend time in the Lord’s presence, reminding himself of God’s promises.

Through the ephod, David was able to seek the Lord’s will for his situation. Even though surrounded by men weeping in despair, David turned to God and discovered His promise for certain victory over the enemy.

Sometimes in life we will be surrounded by the faithful prayers of family and friends. Our hearts will be uplifted as we know others are standing with us and holding us up in our trial.

Then there will be other times when we feel alone and unsure where to turn. Times when we’ve prayed, but we still feel discouraged. We shouldn’t feel any less spiritual when we pray but still feel down. In those moments, we need to guard our hearts against despair. Instead, we must encourage ourselves through what we already know to be true.

One promise I turn to again and again when I’ve prayed but still feel down is Philippians 4:19:

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

God’s faithfulness lifts my spirits every time. It helps me encourage myself in the truth that the pastor wanted to remind me that day.

God’s got this. Even when I don’t feel it. Even when I’ve prayed and prayed but feel alone. Even when I can’t possible imagine a way out.

Let’s take our example from David today. We will have moments when we look at the world around us and get discouraged, but that doesn’t have to stop us from making the choice to seek the One who never fails us. God promises to provide for our needs, and we can trust Him.