Caroline had just been told of the death of a loved one. As Helen took a chair beside Caroline, she began to quote the Bible promise of Isaiah 26:3: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”
With calm assurance, Helen Way began directing Caroline’s thinking. … Placing an arm around Caroline’s shoulders, Helen Way began kindly, but firmly, “You will not be helped by giving way to grief. Let me give you a Bible promise. This promise tells you that there is absolute peace found in Christ.” …
Within moments, Helen Way had persuaded Carolyn Deck to repeat this wonderful promise after her. Helen Way had explained the meaning of the promise, word by word.
“ ‘Thou,’ refers to the Lord Himself. That word is extremely important, for it tells us the center of peace. ‘Thou,’ – God – is the foundation of this peace. Self is not the center of peace. Neither is trouble. But the center of peace is our Lord Himself.”
Distraught minds can actually find peace only in a Person. And that Person is the Lord. This fact is the foundation of another marvelous statement of insight as recorded in the book Education, page 297: “When once the gaze is fixed upon Him, the life finds its center.”
Helen Way then added, “… the next words indicate the certainty of peace in Christ. ‘Thou wilt keep’; It does Not say, He may keep us in peace. It makes a strong statement. It conveys mighty assurance.” Thou wilt keep signifies it is not a transitory, but a permanent experience.
“ ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,’ ” Helen went on. This is not a peace that is fractional. It is perfect. It is absolute under all circumstances. This is the peace God promises. It is a perfect peace. “Whose mind is stayed on Thee.”
Helen Way went through each word, or group of words, step by step. She came to the word “stayed.” Caroline would never be healed of her extreme sorrow by staying her mind on the trouble. She would never recover from the shock by thinking occasionally of Christ. She must stay her mind on Him. It was as if Helen were dealing with hysteria. She knew, and assured Caroline, “You will gain nothing by giving in to grief. It will not help you at all.”
Helen uses this promise successfully whenever anyone comes to her with a problem, or a disturbed mind. This promise is her solution to their problem.
- The very first word, “Thou”. What is this promise talking about? You or God? – God!
- “Thou wilt.” Is there any question about that statement? No, He will do it.
- “Thou wilt keep” Is this to be an occasional experience? No. It is something that is constant.
- “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.” Is this peace only when you have no troubles? No. This says “perfect peace.”
- Then this verse tells us to whom the promise will apply—“whose mind is stayed on Thee.” This is entirely conditioned on your mind, and where you keep it. Your mind is stayed on God, if this promise is going to be fulfilled to you.
- “And then the last part of this verse states why this promise is so effective—“because he trusteth in Thee.”
- Trust in yourself? No!
- Trust – In your ability to work out your problems? No!
- Trust – Your sorrows? No!
- You rather trust in God’s comprehension of what is going on.
- Trust – His overruling providence.
- Trust – His ability to resolve the problem.
Excerpts from The Answer was Created, by Glenn and Ethel Coon, 116-124. Copyright by Glenn and Ethel Coon 1973.
Father: Help me to trust in Thee no matter what happens for Thou wilt keep me in perfect peace because I do trust in Thee. Amen.