Peace Beyond Understanding

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

John 14:27

I will never forget the day I was in the grocery store, pushing a cart and trying to catch my breath, when it hit me: I was okay.

It made no sense at all. Just six months before, my entire world had been turned upside down. One minute, I was living out west, loving my job, surrounded by friends, and checking in with my parents as often as I could.

Then, without warning, my mom passed away. Not long after, my dad underwent six bypass surgeries. So, I packed up everything and moved back home.

And yet, there I was, walking down the aisle of that store, not crushed under the weight of it all. I felt something steady holding me together. It was not my strength; I knew that much. It was the kind of peace you cannot explain, the kind only God can give.

Looking back, I see how much I leaned on Him in those moments. If you find yourself struggling today, know this: you are not alone. There is a God who is close and steady, even in the hardest moments.