Girlfriends in God - Mar. 31, 2008
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
“I'm sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of
Friend to Friend
I love the story of the little girl who was working very hard on her homework one night. As the hours went by, her parents became curious and asked her what she was doing. "I'm writing a report on the condition of the world and how to bring peace," she replied. Of course, the parents were impressed! “Isn’t that a big assignment for just one person?” her dad asked. With complete confidence, the little girl responded, “Don’t worry, Dad. There are three of us in the class working on it.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if finding and experiencing peace was that easy?
We work hard at peace - in our world, our homes, our relationships and our hearts. Yet, so many of us struggle to actually experience or even understand true peace. It occurs to me that in order to understand what peace is we must first understand what it is not!
God’s peace is not the absence of conflicts, trials or difficulties and has nothing to do with human beings or human circumstances. In fact, the true peace of God cannot be produced on a human level at all. Any peace that can is very fragile and will be destroyed instantly by the storms of life. I don’t know about you, but these storms seem to sweep through my life on a regular basis and peace is nowhere to be found. If we rely on this spoiled and fallen world for any measure of peace, we will forever be disappointed. The only source of peace is God. It is only through an intimate relationship with Him that we can know peace.
Notice that Paul writes, “There is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” We like to claim the first part of that verse and ignore the very heart of the truth that peace is the result of Jesus reigning in our lives as “Lord of all”. If He is not Lord of all – He is not Lord at all. And if He is not Lord, then there can be no peace. I often run across the poem below and always find it encouraging. I hope you do as well.
“I’m too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed.
I refuse to be discouraged, to be sad or to cry.
I refuse to be down hearted and here’s the reason why:
I have a God who is almighty; who is sovereign and supreme.
I have a God who loves me – and I am on His team.
He is all wise and powerful; Jesus is His name.
Though everything else is changeable, My God remains the same.
I refuse to be beaten or defeated.
My eyes are on my God.
He has promised to be with me, as through this life I trod.
I am looking past my circumstances, to heaven’s throne above.
My prayers have reached the heart of God and I am resting in His love.
I give thanks to Him in everything.
My eyes are on His face.
The battle is His; the victory is mine; He will help me win the race.
I repeat!
I’m too blessed to be stressed!”
(Author unknown)
As you face the storms of life, face them with God at your side knowing that He is Lord of the rocking boat and Keeper of the waves. He rides upon the storm clouds of life, flinging peace into the tempest filled heart. He is Peace! When we know Him as God, as Lord - we will know Peace!
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Let’s Pray
Father God, my heart is filled with chaos and confusion. I feel as if I am drowning in my circumstances, my heart is filled with fear and confusion. I need the strength and peace that only You can give. Right now, I choose to rest in You. Amen!
Now it’s Your Turn
Make a list of every “storm” you are facing today. Surrender each one to God, asking Him to fill their place in your life with His peace. Now, walk in that peace today. When the waves come, remember that the storm now belongs to your Father.
· What is the greatest area of stress in my life right now?
· In the past, where have I looked for peace?
· What was the result of my human efforts to create peace?
· What does it mean – in daily living – to make Him Lord of all?
· Am I really willing to abdicate the throne of my heart and surrender to God?
More from the Girls
I know people who would give every penny that have and every possession they own for an hour of peace. In fact, I have been in that place, too. The difference is that the Prince of Peace is my God and because He lives in my heart, so does peace. Yes, sometimes I allow the stressors of life to crowd in and try to smother that peace, but the peace of God is eternal and beyond human understanding. Want peace? I encourage you to read my book, Escaping the Stress Trap in which you will find 11 practical ways to deal with the stress in your life and experience true peace.
Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
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