Great Peace

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 

  

  There is nothing like the peace of God. When you feel it overflow from your spirit into your mind and wash over your soul. Nothing can trouble you in that moment. 

  Sadly, too often we find our peace stolen away by fearful circumstances, doubt and dread, and swirling events beyond our control. Yet, if we can take our eyes off of our problems and instead focus upon God’s love and care for us, we can drive away fear and doubt and find our peace restored. 

   

"Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us." — Oswald Chambers 

  

  Faith in God helps restore our peace of mind. When we realize the many trials and terrible events God has already brought us through, remembering similar times of both travail and deliverance, fear is replaced by faith and with it comes peace. 

  Anxiety and worry can become terrible habits that continually steal away our peace. When fears grow larger in our mind than our trust in God, peace disappears. Fear steals peace, it chokes it like weeds in a field robbing crops of nourishment and sunlight and growth. We must uproot the fear in our lives and whenever possible prevent the seeds of fear from being planted in the first place. 

  The antidote to fear is faith. With faith comes peace, but peace is impossible when fear drives our thoughts and actions. It is almost always a bad idea to make decisions driven by fear. When peace is in our hearts and minds, we can not only make good choices, we can live fruitful lives. 

     Peace can be illusive, seemingly impossible to find. Yet when we take our focus off of our fears and look to God instead, our fears shrink and peace can thrive. Examine your heart, look into your thoughts, and discover what is making your decisions for you, peace or fear. Great peace is the gift that God gives to His children. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, fill us to overflowing with Your peace and love. When fears surround us, fill our hearts with peace. Amen.