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 (NLT)

My previous car was stolen last July. The car I purchased in September was broken into in November—someone had tampered with the lock and gotten inside, taking a couple of items of no real value. The lock was fixed later that month, and just last night someone attempted to break into it again, but couldn’t. The lock was tampered with, yet again. 

My car being stolen last year taught me what it meant to walk on troubled waters. It wasn’t so severe a situation that I would call it walking in a valley, but it was a test of my faith. As I navigated this terrain, God reminded me of the importance of storing up my treasures in heaven ¹ and knowing that my help comes from the Lord. ² I believed in my God who redeems and restores. Through taking steps of faith, I found Him faithful. The new car was an even bigger blessing than the last. Losing my car led me to move to a new apartment that I liked even better. Throughout it all, God brought me closer to Him and His people.

But then my car was broken into (the first time), and initially, I couldn’t believe it. It was so soon after I had gotten it, and I didn’t anticipate this would happen. Yet God reminded me that ultimately it is He who watches over me. Since I had purchased the new car, I started praying anytime I parked anywhere. I was grateful that, despite it being broken into, nothing valuable was taken, and the intruder hadn’t smashed the windows. Someone close to me helped me fix the tampered lock, and I thanked God for how the act helped me build trust with this person. 

Fast forward to yesterday. Earlier in the day, Holy Spirit spoke to me that I need to uproot control in my heart. Believing that I’m in control is ultimately believing a lie. I don’t say that to disregard personal accountability or the role we’re called to play as God works in and through our lives. Yet, I do say it, believing that God is sovereign and the One who holds it all together. This is especially true when we walk through storms that we had no part in creating.

A surrendered life doesn’t ask “Why is this happening?” It recognizes that while we wouldn’t choose every trial we faced, God’s sovereignty and grace cover every aspect of our lives. His grace works all situations for good, and that means I’m allowed to live abundantly, no matter what happens. The enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy, and though he has attempted to rob me of my peace, I’ve graduated from believing that peace of mind is something I can manufacture. My peace doesn’t come from my circumstances. I have peace of mind because I have the mind of Christ. I may not understand why this keeps happening or how God will ultimately use it for His glory, but I know that He will. In the meantime, I can rest knowing that He is with me.

1. ‘ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. ‘( Matthew 6:19, NLT)
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2. ‘I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! ‘
   (Psalms 121:1-2, NLT) ↩︎