In Richard Foster's timeless book, Celebration of Discipline, he opened with these challenging words, "Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem." That was in 1978!

I would argue that, almost 50 years later, instant satisfaction is still a major spiritual problem. Our culture, both inside and outside the Church, is bent on avoidance of pain, inconvenience, and discomfort.

Almost four years ago, when I confessed my sin to my wife, Joanna, we entered a dark period with no quick fix options available. A lifetime of sin, isolation, loneliness, and shame had left me a husk of a man. Being betrayed by the one who should have protected, honoured and cherished her, my wife found herself in a raging tempest. But, I think, being faced with such a problem actually helped us in following Christ. Everywhere we looked we were told "two to five years" for healing. There were no shortcuts. There where no quick fixes. All we could do was to turn to God and journey with him, through the storm.

My old way of thinking was that I pray, and then God should make it all good. But Scripture says that God "works all things" (Ephesians 1:11 ESV).

Jesus said it this way in John 16:33 (NLT), "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me." This was on the night he was betrayed. He had just finished eating the Last Supper with his disciples and as we read later on this was a time of great anguish for Jesus. He was entering the greatest trial anyone has ever endured. The preceding conversation with his disciples was around the trials that would be coming to them in the following months and years.

Then he said "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows."

I don't know about you, but telling me that I will have many trials and sorrows (other translations call them tribulations) doesn't seem like a normal path to peace.

But then Jesus finished with this, "But take heart, because I have overcome the world." Jesus promised that he would never abandon us. He sent the Holy Spirit to walk with us. He is leading, teaching, counselling, comforting, and empowering us.

We need to be okay with a process. And since the process is with God, why do we want to skip it?

Probably the same reason we turn to sin - we're looking to be comfortable.

But, what better place can there be than to be with God?

Think of your favourite meal. That juicy steak, the crisp salad, a flavourful saucy pasta, or a spicy taco. The anticipation of the meal to come intensified by the presentation on the plate, the sensation of those flavours hitting your taste buds, the aroma of the food entering your nose, the sounds of food and fork dancing in your ears. Now, is the best part of the meal after you eat it? When you are full and cannot ever remember being hungry? Yeah, there can be satisfaction after dinner, but would you agree that the greater joy is found in the eating (the partaking) of the meal?

In Psalms 23:5 we are told that our God prepares a table (for feasting) when we are surrounded by our enemies. It is there that our cup overflows and when he anoints us with oil. If we never go through the dark and scary valley we will starve!

What if we could live in such a way that the Holy Spirit's presence and his guidance through the trial would give us more comfort than a mere absence of trials and sorrows?

If you're going through a trial right now, turn to God. He has a meal for you to enjoy. He has comfort and guidance for you. In him you will find the hope, peace, and joy that you are looking for. Let's pray this together:

We all feel anxious from time to time. Fear, worry, and doubt. It’s normal to feel these things.

Sometimes we merely fee sad and that makes us anxious. Other times we are worried about some bad event or crisis that we think may be coming. Sometimes we see a bad event on the horizon. Then, there are those times where we are expecting something good to come, and yet the anxiety still robs us of our peace!

The Bible is God’s written word to us, so we should go to it every day... so let’s do that now.

“But in everything.” That doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room for us, does it? So how do we find peace in the types of situations described above?

1. Gloomy days
First, let’s look at those times when, for no apparent reason, you just feel down. There doesn’t seem to be a reason at all. As Psalms 42 and 43 ask repeatedly, you also ask “why are you downcast, O my soul?” Good question.

There are days, when you wake up and you are just simply bummed out. You can’t think of a bad dream or anything else, but you just simply feel like something is off.
What do you do?

Paul says in Philippians to rejoice. He says to go to God in prayer, where you can petition God’s grace and where you can tell him how grateful you are to him. We are told, in this passage, that the key to peace is directing our hearts to God.

2. Worry of the unknown
Next are those times where you’re feeling more than just sad. It’s bigger. It’s that feeling of impending doom. It consumes your thoughts and puts you into an emotional tailspin.
First, look for help from someone who can help you to see what you can’t. We all need help sometimes and it is wisdom to seek help from others. Isolation will merely make everything else worse.

But, even in these difficult seasons we still need to go to God in “prayer and petition with thanksgiving.” These seasons too, are part of the “everything”. Get the counsel you need and, in that, keep taking your worries and fears to God. Give him thanks and tell your soul to put its hope in God (Psalm 42 & 43). Let God into those seasons with you.

If you are feeling like this, you are very likely in a “season” and seasons generally last for a while. You will have ample opportunity to practice to pour out your complaints to God and to tell him your troubles (Psalm 142:1-3). But he will be with you – Jesus promised! Keep reading – Jesus can relate to how you’re feeling.

3. The “deer in the headlights” times
Have you ever been driving at night and suddenly you see two eyes staring back at your headlights? And the don’t move?

The term “deer in the headlights” gives us all pause. We’ve been there. We’ve seen others there. Sometimes, even though you see it coming, there’s still nowhere to run. Sometimes it’s too big to fight and all we can do is wait for it to hit us. Sometimes your path forward is through the storm.

Jesus knows how you feel in these times. He knew what was coming. He knew that his purpose on this earth was to suffer and die for our sins, so that our brokenness could be healed. And he knew that the experience would be horrible.

The night leading up to his betrayal and death, the Bible tells us that Jesus was “greatly troubled”. The New Living Translation puts it this way, “[Jesus] began to be filled with horror and deepest distress.” Mark then records Jesus’ words to his closest companions, “My soul is crushed by sorrow to the point of death” (Mark 14:33 NLT).

Ever feel like that?

Jesus saw the darkest day coming – a day far worse than any we could ever experience. And he knew every part of what was coming.

What did he do?

Mark 14:34 says that he “fell to the ground and prayed.” Ever done that? I have. Jesus went the the Father in prayer. He even asked that if there was some other way to redeem humanity from sin and eternal death. He cried and he sweated drops of blood.
He also worshipped God. “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you” (Mark 14:36 WEB).
He surrendered to the Father’s will and plan. Jesus put his trust in the Father.
We don’t always get to get out of the way of what we see coming, but we have the promise that Jesus will always be with us. This life can be difficult, and it can be horrible. But we are never left alone.

4. Joyful expectation
Right now, I'm waiting for an email which will contain the answer to an application I have submitted. And the anticipation has been consuming my thoughts. I want it, and I’m excited to begin this new journey.

I’ve been tied up in knots with the waiting.

I'm not actually worried that it won't happen because God told me that I could have it. Even if the answer comes back "no", it is not the final or end answer, because God has led me this way and his word is faithful. One way or another it will happen.

But I still feel anxious.

Why?
Like most of us, I feel impatient and I want to move now. I’m impatient. Even though I have other things to complete before I start.

So what would the acceptance letter, in my hands right now, give me?

I think that it would give me a feeling of peace and stability. But those things have never come from things I have. They have only come from God.

Trust me – I have tried to find peace in other things. I have tried work, alcohol, serving at church, hobbies, and even porn and fantasy. None of the good things and certainly none of the evil things ever gave me peace.

Conclusion
My next question to myself is one that I heard Bill Johnson (Bethel) ask in a sermon. "Where did I leave my peace?" I had it, nobody can take it from me, so where did I set it down?
Let’s go back to Philippians again – prayer, petition and thanksgiving.

So, even while feeling impatient in the waiting, I turn to God. I tell him how I feel – how I want this answer right now and that I want the answer to be a yes. I then thank him for how loving he is, and for giving me this opportunity, and for his love to me. I also submit to his timing and plan, and in that I worship him for who he is and for his grace.

And there it is!

I feel it again.

Peace.

It starts slowly at first, as the anxiety starts to melt away. The darkness leaves as I open up to the light of God’s loving kindness and truth. I feel his grace strengthening me. And I naturally move onto the next verse in Philippians 4.

So, no matter if the anxiety you feel is known or unknown, if it is something good or something evil, you too can find peace in the waiting – in the emotional storm.
I feel better now. How about you?
I encourage you, no matter what your situation is, to ask yourself these questions and take it all to the feet of Jesus – the good, the bad, the ugly and the broken. Jesus is peace and you too have a place in him.