Find Peace Here

If you were to form a mental picture of chaos, what would you see? Impossible deadlines, commitments on top of commitments, long lists, and short hours? How about peace? What picture comes to mind? Most people picture getting away. Maybe your mind took you to a hot bath or a tropical island. The trouble with that image, though it’s wonderful, is that it’s fleeting. Whether bathtub or Bali, you can’t stay there forever.

Peace that is dependent on circumstances is not lasting or sustainable. Circumstances will always change. No matter how much control you think you have over your life, sooner or later you’ll face the reality that the only thing that is unchanging is the Love of God. If the presence of peace in your life is dependent on what is going on around you, you’ll quickly find yourself unprepared and offended when suffering comes your way. It’s likely that at some point you will have difficulties in life that are unexpected and potentially earth-shattering.

When your ground feels shaky, the Peace of God offers stability. Rather than going to a peaceful place, try inviting peace right into your chaos. Let the Holy Spirit quiet your movements. Let Jesus shift your thoughts. Imagine a place where cares are few and all is quiet. Chaos diminishes and your thoughts are calm and orderly. God promises this Peace can be yours any time, any place, anywhere.

The more you train your mind to stay with Him, the more Perfect Peace is yours. No matter your outward circumstances, your heart can be secure and at rest. The more you place your trust in Him, the stronger you will be against that which threatens to steal your peace. As you spend time in His Presence, He will calm your nerves and soothe your anxieties. As you fill your heart with the Truth of the Word, you’ll have an arsenal on hand for the times that your thoughts drift toward anxiety.

God’s Love for you is unending, and His desire for you is to follow Him and experience the wonderful Peace that He so extravagantly offers. If you have a lack of Peace in your life, don’t feel ashamed or defeated. This shouldn’t be one more thing on your list of holy to-do’s. Instead, God’s invitation toward Peace comes without condemnation. Let your soul be at rest and let striving cease.

This Plan contains devotions from Be Still and Know: 52-Week Devotional Journal for Women by BroadStreet Publishing. https://broadstreetpublishing.com/be-still-and-know/9781424568901/