The other day, my wife and I were on the last leg of our journey home. It was too late to take a bus, so we knew the only option was to get a taxi. But the area where we normally find a line of taxis was empty, and though traffic was still rolling by, no taxi was to be found. We tried another stretch of road around the corner, but the prospect there was just as bleak.
I was tired, and the medications that I had taken earlier after a dental procedure were starting to affect my mood and wear me down. Yes, I had to admit, I was somewhat sinking. It was late and I was feeling sad, and that realization edged me even lower. “Why am I discouraged,” I thought, “things can’t be that bad.” But it seemed that they were.
And then it struck me. I’m a child of God, a believer in Jesus, and He has my best interests at heart. Is this true? Or not? I know it is true, and so I prayed out loud saying, “In Jesus’ name, we ask for a taxi right now to take us home.”
You can probably finish the story for yourself. A taxi appeared right then and there and headed to our location on the roadside. As I stepped into the vehicle after my wife, I told her, “That was an answer to prayer!”
This is not a monumental testimony. I have experienced countless answers to prayer in my life. But what makes this story special is that it was not simply an answer to our plea, “Please, Lord, send a taxi.” There was something more. There was a need for the taxi, but there was also a need for peace and encouragement. That wave of negativity disappeared when I remembered who God is and who I am in Him. He has our backs and simply asks us to commit all our cares to Him in prayer and to place our trust in Him.
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The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 4:7
Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.
—Author unknown
Our daily lives can easily become filled with stress, pressure, and confusion. But we can stop at any moment and enter into God’s presence through prayer and find peace and be refreshed.
—Maria Fontaine