These past several weeks, there has been a theme that God is placing on my mind. It is Peace.
If you know me, sometimes I panic first, then pray and move forward. I am trying not to panic but pray first. It is hard for me. I often react to the news instead of taking the time to process and respond to it. Last Sunday, the song at church was My King Forever, and the lyrics were. “I lift my hands up and lay my whole life down. My whole life is now for you.” it reminded me how God provides that peace.
The keyword in that lyric: is “whole.” God doesn’t want us to try to maintain any part of our lives by ourselves. He wants us to submit all of it. Every single bit, even the thing you are afraid to turn over because you will not have control anymore. Why, you may ask? Because if we are constantly fretting about how to maintain control over circumstances we can’t control, we will never experience His Peace.
One of the verses I read last week was from Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those minds who are steadfast because they trust in you.”
Once again, the key to obtaining that peace is trust. Steadfast means not wavering. As the storms hit, the questions come, and your heartbreaks, you can stand firm and trust that God is still good, even when life is out of control. He is holding you and sheltering you as He provides the strength for you to move forward.
For me, the hardest part of this isn’t trusting God. I do trust Him. It is my mind and acting on that trust. It gets carried down the rabbit hole of “what ifs,” and I get stuck in a whirlwind of emotions. I am learning the importance of practicing these verses:
2 Corinthians 10:5 “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
These verses explicitly state once again how God grants us that peace. Our mind needs to focus on Him, not our troubles. We must trust Him. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us focus on God’s will. Jesus provided the way for us. He understands more than we will ever comprehend how hard this life is. We can trust Him to walk us through every storm we face.
Peace comes from trust. As we move forward this week, we need to remember to capture our thoughts and bring our concerns to our Father in prayer as we keep our minds steadfast on His promises.
Following His Lead 