Tag Archives: peace

Daily Living, Faith, Feet to Faith, Jesus, Worship

Peace is Possible

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Last week a conversation with a friend prompted me to think about the answer to these questions, “How am I receiving the peace of God in my life? How is peace possible in the midst of difficult circumstances?” My ultimate and obvious answer was that God is so gracious and kind to grant His peace in the midst of hard, painful, sometimes frightening circumstances. But the question begged for more. Not because that isn’t enough, but because our faith needs feet sometimes in order to carry us from the place of recognizing our need for God’s help to receiving His help. So I started thinking about how I receive God’s peace, as His child.

For much of my adult life I’ve been thrown into circumstances outside my comfort zone and, by God’s grace, have been able to push aside thoughts that could give rise to fear or anxiety by trusting in and having strong confidence in a powerful God. “He goes before me, His grace will sustain me, He is able and will enable.” (Deut. 31:8, John 10:4, 2 Cor. 12:9, Phil. 2:13 ). I haven’t allowed headspace for anything but His promises in the day to day anxieties of life. That would be #1 in a list of bullet points—know God’s promises and bank on them! Memorize Scripture! But, in addition to daily worries and nudges to do things of which we don’t feel capable, there are also unknowns and bigger issues that come along and darker circumstances that need resolving and want answers. All these things can prey on our minds and sometimes physically affect us. So the bulleted list is for all the things–the day to day stresses or worries and the much weightier issues of life.

  • Know God’s promises and bank on them!
  • Make those promises your GO TO any time fear or doubt creep in!
  • Know who God is, know His attributes, and bank on them!
  • Give thanks in all circumstances, ALL circumstances! 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. I’ve made a practice of this, especially when it’s hard, stressful, I hate the circumstance, it messes with my day, or looks like no possible good could come from it. I give thanks, not just for the things that I can think of that are good in the situation, but for the situation itself. “Thank you, Lord, for this dark circumstance. I have no idea why it’s come my way, but YOU do, and I know you are at work accomplishing my good for your glory. So please give me a grateful heart and be glorified in the midst of this.”
  • Know God! I know that knowing God really should top the list (and it does – you won’t know real peace until you know God!), but what I mean is keep going deeper with Him. Fellowship with Him. Read His Word and pray. But don’t just read His Word—READ His Word! Intentionally, prayerfully, asking Him to teach you from it as you read it!
  • PRAY! Pray for wisdom, discernment, peace, the fruit of the spirit…
  • Turn your mind to other things – pleasant, pure, true things unrelated to the fears or anxious thoughts.
  • Sing – sing His praises, night and day.

I discovered at some point that at my most anxious times my prayers would tend to chase my thoughts. I would “pray without ceasing” in order to overcome anxious thoughts, but the anxious thoughts would break in; and then I’d break in with a prayer, trying to make it stronger than my anxious thoughts. I was like a dog chasing it’s tail, only getting more worked up in my spirit. I had to realize that I was chasing my thoughts with prayers (so much striving after the wind) and go straight to praying in a way that drove the anxious thoughts away. I needed to pray with intentionality (some might call it focused and fervent prayer)–take a walk and pray out loud; say it into the empty space of my car; close the door, get down on my knees and pray out loud all the attributes and promises of God back to Him, confessing my sin (my lack of trust being one of them), making my requests known and casting all my cares on Him. Sometimes I would pray out loud with my kids in the car, sometimes in the middle of a conversation with a friend. Whatever the case, the peace of God does just as Philippians 4 promises, it guards my heart every time (Phil 4:4-9).

I don’t mean that God gave me peace because I finally figured out the right things to do and worked at them until He decided to reward me. Not at all! God, by His Spirit, does all the work! The faith He gives me acknowledges His trustworthiness and causes me to call out to Him with my need. When I “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances” I “Do not quench the Spirit,” but acknowledge my dependance on God, and the Spirit continues His work in me (1Thessalonians 5:16-19).

My most basic answer to all the questions of life is, “Know God. Fellowship with Him. Seek His wisdom. Ask Jesus to be near and to teach your heart to trust. He delights to hear the prayers of His children and answer them with every good thing! And prayers for Him to be near are NEVER outside His will and therefore won’t be denied!” (Jeremiah 29:12; 1 John 5:14). Just knowing that helps bring peace. My greatest desire is for His will to be done, not mine, so I pray to that end and let go of my desired outcomes in favor of His. When I relinquish control, since I have none anyway, peace abounds.

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. Phil. 4:6-7

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Proverbs 18:10

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

“For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

 

©Erika Rice 2020

Christmas, Faith, Lessons, Productivity, Worship

Here I Sit

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Here I sit, with none but the lights of the Christmas tree. I’ve just come in from a silent night, where the Christmas lights illumine the snow falling like the finest fairy dust. My table hasn’t been cleared in days, littered with ornament packaging, cast-off strings of lights and an assortment of odds and ends. The green and red storage bins covered in a year’s worth of barn dust are stacked in various degrees of emptiness around the room. My winter village is still on stand-by, waiting to be pulled out of boxes and lit to bring good cheer.

I’m not sure it’s ever taken me this many days to fully decorate for Christmas. But right now, I don’t even care. It didn’t matter to me last night or the night before that. Because there’s living to do in the midst of it all. A very real life that has nothing to do with lights, ornaments, garland and tiny villages, but everything to do with people, problems, schedules, growing and giftedness. And I’m okay with that. I love Christmas. I love the lights, the smell of pine, the spiced apple cider, and baking. But I love it even more when I stop to take it all in, whatever all happens to be this year.

My dad used to tell me to always keep it simple. The more we make of the excess, the more likely we are to miss the point. God made Himself man and dwelt among us; and we beheld His glory (John 1:14). That’s it. That’s the point. Without that, we’ve got nothing. GOD MADE HIMSELF MAN AND DWELT AMONG US! This is IT!! The great mystery, the great news, the great fulfillment of prophecy, the heavenly host’s praise. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:15. Peace. Peace on earth.

What did God do on a chaotic night in Bethlehem? He did the inconceivable and became a man. Fully God and fully man. How can that even be? And do we stop to marvel? Not often enough. Instead we make December crazy, and all too often celebrations become stressful. All the parties, plans, and expectations sometimes threaten to undo us, but the only undoing I want is the undoing of my heart before a holy, marvelous God.

So here I sit. Just a fir tree full of lights and me. I’m savoring the silence. Enjoying the peace. Keeping this Christmas simple. The village will be lit by tomorrow night. I’m almost sure. The buckets will go back to the barn to collect more dust. The kitchen will smell of baked goods soon enough. But nowhere in all of that do I want it to be anything other than simple. God became man and dwelt among us. Could the news be any better? Yes, actually! When God became man, in the baby Jesus, He gave the right to become children of God to all who believe in His name, and from His fulness we receive grace upon grace.  So this is how I spend my December nights – overcome by God’s goodness every time I look at those little lights shining in the darkness. Jesus is the light of the world, shining in the darkness, and the darkness can’t overcome it. (John 1).

Peace.

 

©Erika Rice