I really wanted to start here––with God’s promise of peace. I need it. Often. I may look calm on the outside (or maybe I don’t), but I am churning with emotions of the inside. My mind is often in overdrive and usually in the wrong direction, and my heart is along for the ride.
But it didn’t take me long to realize that I couldn’t start with this promise. Instead I had to know, understand, and accept all of God’s other promises (love, security, purpose, etc.) before I could truly understand and accept His promise of peace. So here I am, almost to the end of the year and finally able to see the true nature of this promise.
Peace is tough for us, for Satan wants to rob us of peace, and he knows each of our weaknesses. Right when we are feeling at peace about something or some relationship, he begins to poke old wounds, prod distant memories, or throw in an insecure thought. At other times he goes straight for the jugular, reminding us that we have been blindsided by lies, partial truths, or intentional omissions.
Then he urges us to take matters into our own hands and “investigate” and “fix" the problem, thereby encouraging us to expend even more energy into something that is beyond our control, and now peace seems even more elusive than ever. But actually, peace can be easily attained. it is threefold:
Obedience: “Oh that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river . . .” Isaiah 48:16.
Often our lack of peace is linked directly to our disobedience. We know we are wrong, and while we continue down the path of rebellion, peace is not possible.
Prayer: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Prayer releases our concerns to God so that He can now deal with them.
Trust: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.” (Isaiah 26:3)
Obey, pray, and trust. Then experience God’s perfect peace.
But it didn’t take me long to realize that I couldn’t start with this promise. Instead I had to know, understand, and accept all of God’s other promises (love, security, purpose, etc.) before I could truly understand and accept His promise of peace. So here I am, almost to the end of the year and finally able to see the true nature of this promise.
Peace is tough for us, for Satan wants to rob us of peace, and he knows each of our weaknesses. Right when we are feeling at peace about something or some relationship, he begins to poke old wounds, prod distant memories, or throw in an insecure thought. At other times he goes straight for the jugular, reminding us that we have been blindsided by lies, partial truths, or intentional omissions.
Then he urges us to take matters into our own hands and “investigate” and “fix" the problem, thereby encouraging us to expend even more energy into something that is beyond our control, and now peace seems even more elusive than ever. But actually, peace can be easily attained. it is threefold:
Obedience: “Oh that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river . . .” Isaiah 48:16.
Often our lack of peace is linked directly to our disobedience. We know we are wrong, and while we continue down the path of rebellion, peace is not possible.
Prayer: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Prayer releases our concerns to God so that He can now deal with them.
Trust: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.” (Isaiah 26:3)
Obey, pray, and trust. Then experience God’s perfect peace.
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