Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

Philippians 4:6-7 AMP

What if I told you that your feelings don’t always reflect reality, especially when it comes to your relationship with God? Paul, in Romans, speaks about the incredible benefits of justification through faith in Jesus Christ. It is essential to understand the difference between having peace with God and experiencing the peace of God. Paul states, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Peace with God is a legal, factual term that signifies our reconciliation with God through faith in Jesus. In contrast, the peace of God is situational, a feeling that may come and go depending on the circumstances in our lives. It is crucial to remember that having peace with God does not always mean we’ll feel the peace of God. As believers, we must recognize that our feelings might not always reflect reality. It’s essential to be able to say and mean, “The way I feel might not be real.”

The way I feel might not be real. We’ve all felt something that isn’t based on reality, like experiencing doubt or sadness when life is going well. Feelings are strong, and we often have trouble separating facts from feelings. The truth is that if you believe in Christ, placing your faith in Him and being justified by Him, you have peace with God. You are at peace with Him, rather than at war. This peace with God is essential. It will lead you to experience the peace of God that passes all understanding.

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Philippians 4:6-7MSG

Be careful for nothing.—An exact repetition of our Lord’s command, “Take no thought” (in Matthew 6:25; Matthew 6:34). The prohibition is of that painful anxiety which is inevitable in all who feel themselves alone in mere self-dependence amidst the difficulties and dangers of life. It is possible to sink below this anxiety in mere levity and thoughtlessness; it is possible to rise above it by “casting our care on Him who careth for us,” and knowing that we are simply “fellow-workers with Him” (1Peter 5:7; 2Corinthians 6:1). Hence the Apostle passes on at once to speak of the trustfulness of prayer. Bible Hub

Peace in the original language means “to join together,” meaning that we’ve been joined with Christ. When God looks at the Christian, He doesn’t see you or me; He doesn’t see our sin. He sees Jesus. He sees the blood of Christ because we’re a part of Him, and we belong to Him, and He belongs to us. We’re no longer at odds with God. Isn’t that amazing?

You may say, “Well, I’ve never had a problem with God.” You might not have had a problem with God, but God had a problem with you called sin. You placed your trust in Jesus, and God made it just as if you’d never sinned because Christ paid the price. Now, you have peace with God and, from that, the peace of God.

Remember that your feelings don’t always reflect the truth of your relationship with Him. When you are overwhelmed by emotions, turn to the Word of God and the truth of your justification through faith in Jesus Christ. Rest in the assurance that you have peace with God.