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 everything, 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)
The life of faith is truly the only safe life. We trust in the Lord and in His everlasting power and strength and sufficiency. He is the Rock that forever abides. Delivering water from the Rock and Bread sent directly from heaven. Faith intercedes for what it needs and is thankful for what it has. Our God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift. A believer’s faith enjoys God in both abundance and in need. Believing He is in control of all things. And that “no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless”. Blessed is the one who trusts in Him. Also, the faithfulness of God is best experienced in the trials and tribulations because in them we are most prayerful and “He is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalms 34:18). Prosperity, however, is all too often the nurse of atheism as in plenty we become “fat and sassy” and self-sufficient.
The peace of God guards the hearts and minds of those who love Him. This keeps us from fearfulness so that we are not to be anxious about anything rather pray about everything – acknowledging Him in all our ways and He will make our paths straight. We can be at peace in both need and abundance knowing He has our best interest at heart in all things allowed. God desires for us to rely on His mighty Hand in both our greatest difficulties and our ease and abundance. He can put life into dead hopes and raise up our expectations from the graves of despair as He did in Ezekiel’s time by breathing life into the dry dead bones. He is the One who raises the dead. He is the One who turns despair into joy and helps us to see the futility and impotence of our own flesh. We can be so proud and self-confident and thankfully God seeks to strip us of all that because anything done in the flesh is not eternal when the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. Eternal works are done through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit in every true believer in Jesus. He want s us to trust in Him - not ourselves - and proceed in the mighty strength of the Lord. How gracious He is to use these jars of clay of ours to bring Him glory and us much good. Genuine faith overflows with much joy, pleasure and delight.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:3-4 (NIV)