Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7, NIV

What is the deepest, darkest place that life has taken you to?

Addiction? Grief? Despair? Loneliness? Poverty? Fear? Abuse?

I don’t want you to linger too long in the memory of that place–but I do want you to look closely for a moment and see: even there, God was with you.

Maybe you’re standing knee-deep in your valley right now. Even now, God is with you. Especially now. Just like the darker it is, the brighter the light shines, so too, the lowest valleys of your life hold the potential for some of your deepest spiritual blessings.

“The peace that surpasses all understanding” is not a goodie-bag gift that God randomly doles out to some lucky winners based on His mood, favoritism, luck, or a whim. It is the direct result of true faith: when we actually, really trust God–for real.

There’s a formula for peace here in Philippians. Let’s break it down:

1. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Rejoice in ALL circumstances…ALL means ALL.
2. “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” Be kind. Exemplify peace. You should radiate the Holy Spirit Who lives within you. Represent Him accurately.
3. “The Lord is near.” Remember that God has never left you, and He never will.
4. “Do not be anxious about anything,” Don’t worry about ANYTHING…ANYTHING means ANYTHING.
5. “…but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” PRAY: talk to God about ALL of it! (the darkest parts, too…and thank God–be truly thankful–even in this.

And then…“the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

This is not a works-based theology; this is simply an explanation of cause and effect. If you actually, really, with your true heart, praise, thank, and trust Him in every situation, the natural result will be the peace of God, which defies human logic and understanding. And that supernatural peace will guard your heart and mind from the darkness that threatens to take hold of you.

It’s not easy—but you’ve got the Holy Spirit living in you to help you and empower you to have this kind of faith that seems impossible by natural human standards.

Faith and peace in the valley do not make sense to the world. But it sure does shine for the Father’s glory. Trust Him today and receive His unfathomable peace.

Father God, thank you for Your promises. We thank You that You have given us free access to Your peace which surpasses all understanding. Please remind us that in You, we are more than conquerors and that our temporary problems are no match for an eternal God who loves us. Jesus, You are the light that illuminates our path. Thank you for always staying right beside us, even in the shadow of the valley of death. Help us to remember to fear no evil, but to trust in You, our Good Shepherd. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Copyright Rhapsody Jordan-Parisi.

Rhapsody is a member and high school English teacher from North Carolina. She is passionate about helping overwhelmed teachers reclaim their time and peace of mind through support, encouragement, and intentional strategies. You can connect with her at tightropeteaching.com.