A Farmer's Prayer for Peace

 

 

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

Does this mean we shouldn’t feel anxious? No! All of our emotions – worry, joy, sadness, and all the rest -- are valid. This reminds us, in every situation, with all your emotions, to make your requests known to God. Ask Him to show you how to handle the given situation in a helpful and healthy way. Thank Him for His love and tell Him what’s on your mind. Ask Him for whatever it is you need. Invite Him to guide your thoughts, words, and deeds to handle whatever is going on. When you do this, you’ll be addressing the issue that’s causing your anxiety or other feelings, and not just stewing over it. This guidance and the actions that follow will bring you God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding.

A Farmer’s Prayer for Peace

The story goes that a pastor visiting a rural area was invited to share in a men’s breakfast with the local farmers. The group had asked an older farmer, wearing his usual bib overalls, to say grace for the morning meal.

“Lord, I hate buttermilk,” the farmer began. The visiting pastor opened one eye and wondered where this was going.

The farmer loudly proclaimed, “Lord, I hate lard.”

Without missing a beat, the farmer continued, “And Lord, you know I don’t much care for raw white flour.” The pastor glanced around the room and saw that he wasn’t the only one beginning to feel uncomfortable.

Then the farmer added, “But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love warm fresh biscuits.”

And he continued, “So, Lord, when things come up that we don’t like, when life gets hard, when we don’t understand what you’re saying to us, help us to relax and wait until you are done mixing. It will probably be even better than biscuits. Amen.”

 

“Lord, help me remember that You love me, and You want to bring me closer to You so that I experience Your love. I know You hear my prayers. Let this assurance and confidence give me Your peace.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...