Understanding

 

I saw a quote the other day that poked at me. I read it over and over and each time I was unnerved by it. 

It was one of those moments you want to sit with the author and say, “You’ve got it all wrong”. 

I actually felt sorry that this was their perspective and as I pondered this, my mind wandered to wonder how many other people had this perspective too.

Well, I won’t be speaking with the author anytime soon because her name was Helen Keller. She was an incredible woman who lived her life without sight or sound.  It actually surprised me that she, of all people, would have this perspective based on her life experience.

Before I get too far, let me share the quote with you.

“I do not want the peace which passeth understand.  I want the understanding which bringeth peace.”-Helen Keller

Now at first glance this quote seems true. In the very least it’s honest. I think we all want to understand the things of the world so that we might have peace in them. 

But that’s just it. If we are people of faith our peace isn’t navigated by our understanding. In fact our peace is to surpass understanding.

Paul tells us in Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Did you catch that? God’s peace surpasses all understanding and it guards our hearts! That means in the midst of this confusing and sometimes absurd world, we find peace; but it’s not our peace. We find Gods peace. God gives us His peace and this peace surpasses all understanding.

Paul doesn’t say “God will give you understanding and then you’ll find peace.”

God gives us His peace. That means regardless of the fact that nothing around us might make sense, we are at peace. It means even though our circumstances are beyond our understanding, we are at peace.

There’s such honesty in Helen's quote. We want to understand! We want to be able to sort through the things of this world and find an understanding in it that will put our hearts and mind to rest.

But that’s not what God wants. God wants our trust.

Wanting to lean into our own understanding diminishes the power of God. Peace that surpasses understanding is the most powerful peace of all. 

When we don’t understand but trust God anyway, the incredible peace we feel won’t make any sense. It’s when we stop trying to make sense of things ourselves and let God work, that peace comes.

It’s not that we need to seek understanding in the midst of our confusing lives. We need to seek God.

What are you trying to “understand” today? What is stealing your peace because you just can’t wrap your brain around it?

Instead of seeking to understand, cry out for Gods peace. 

Through the surrender to know comes the power of Gods peace.

You may not understand….but He understands fully.

Trust. Let Him guard your heart.

-Pastor Patti