PEACE

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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. — John 14:27 ​

Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ. — Shiela Walsh


Every storm that we face in life will have one of two possible outcomes:  either we will grow closer to God, or fear will grow in our hearts. Fear ever so subtly sucks the life out of us until we feel like we are out of options.  It reveals the true status of our hearts because what we fear the most shows what we value the most.  It also reveals the areas of our lives where we trust God the least.  Taking inventory of the areas where we aren't trusting God can be painful, but necessary. 

If God wants us to experience His freedom, grace, and the fullness of His love, and we don’t want to live in fear, then where is the disconnect? The answer lies within our perception of peace. If we continue to perceive peace as the “absence of trouble,” then our peace is circumstantial. In other words, it’s not true.  And that is exactly what the world offers – a fake peace! But if we choose to focus and trust God, then He has an opportunity to shine His light and provide us with true peace...the kind of peace that surpasses all understanding.  The kind of peace that shocks other people when they see that you can find peace in the midst of your crazy circumstances!  And the more we trust God, the more our peace will increase and multiply.  

If fear and anxiety are weighing you down this Advent season, take some time to take a deep inventory of the areas where you are not trusting God.  It's worth it!


PRAYER:  Holy Spirit, fill me with your presence. Forgive me for not trusting you enough in this area (mention it). I want to experience your freedom and the comfort of your peace. I choose to trust you, even when it doesn’t make sense.  ​



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