My Gift To You

"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!  Isaiah 26:3

 

When trouble seems to be all around you, what do you do?  Seriously, take a moment and think about what your normal practice is when life gets chaotic.  Need a few examples...your spouse is acting up, the children have taken an unexpected turn in the behavior category, your job becomes unstable and a place of normal confusion.  There was a time when you enjoyed life.  Yes, it may have had ups and downs but lately chaos has become the norm.  I recall a time like that in my life.  In fact the case could be made that my life was teetering fast toward that direction again.  But then I remembered something, God is not the author of confusion.  In fact in one of his last conversations with His disciples He told them that there was no need to become agitated with the mundane cares of this world because He was giving us a gift -- PEACE.  And right now other than salvation I can think of no better gift from my Savior.  Just knowing that when  the very life I have come to know and love takes an unexpected turn I can go to God and ask for peace and He will give it to me. 

 

So what makes this peace different from the world's peace?  First of all, God's peace is eternal.  Make a list of those things generally thought of to bring peace right now in your life.  Money, status, a job, material things.  But what happens when those things are gone?  Do you still have peace or is your life filled with anxiety and worry?  The peace that God gives provides a calm that even when those things are gone you can go to sleep at night knowing that the Almighty God who sits high and looks low is looking out for you.  That is why there is no need to worry about tomorrow.  Tomorrow will worry about itself.  (Matthew 6:34) After all what does worrying get you but stressed out and trying to control things that you really have no control over.  Take people for example.  Can you control people?  If you can then tell me your secret.  Last week I found myself becoming more and more upset about the actions of someone else.  There I was allowing Satan to steal my peace and my joy, over the behavior of another person.  How many times had I told friends and family...stop giving that person control over you.  My friends who are reading this can attest to this.  What a convenient distraction.  The more I thought about the actions of this individual, the less I thought about God.  My mind was not fixed on Jesus. 

 

What else about God's peace makes it such a precious gift?  God's peace is internal.  God's peace is unmoved by external changes.  So your money runs out and you lose your job.  Because the peace that God gives is not linked to 'things' it is not affected by them.  Close friends turn their back on you...no worries.  he is a friend that sticks closer than any brother.  He is the best confidante.  When you tell your secrets to Him you don't have to worry about them going anywhere else.  God's peace provides tranquility of the soul, an uninterrupted happiness of the mind.  And I don't know about you but I'll take that over 'things' any day.  Just knowing what faith in God will do. 

 

So today I have a challenge for you.  My word for 2011 has been and still is self-evaluation.  In what ways can I become a better Christian, living a life that glorifies God in everything I do?  At the beginning I asked what your normal practice was when faced with chaotic times.  Some of you reading this may have said "pray and look to God".  But if you are anything like me, most of you probably said something like, 'try to control the situation, try to fix things, stress out, worry'.  Have those things gotten you anywhere?  Probably not!  So today, make a list of all the things that are causing your to stress out and worry and one by one give them to God.  Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus".  God did not mean for us to worry.  He wants nothing more than to give you peace and the only price you have to pay is a heart and mind that is stayed on Him.

 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

 

I come to You today giving you praise, honor and glory for Your wonderful gift of peace.  In times like these when it seems that everyday Satan is trying his hardest to bring a little bit of hell on earth to my life, I thank You for that peace that surpasses all my understanding.  No matter what my mind may conceive that You are able to do, You are able to do so much more.  Thank you for loving me enough for giving of yourself so generously.  I love You Lord.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.