There are many times in life when we can become fearful, worried and downright anxious. We spend time being worried about the bills, the illness, the safety of loved ones, the future. We worry about the direction of the government and laws that are passed that may be more harmful to the nation. We worry about the spiritual condition of the nation. We worry about those whose religion or background is different than ours. We worry about terror threats and natural disasters. Living near a larger city, I hear about a lot of crime and traffic accidents. The more we worry, the more we live our lives in fear and fear does not lead us to peace of mind.
We have an enemy who is all about playing with our minds. An enemy who wants us to believe that God is holding out on us. That He does not have our best interests at heart. The enemy tries to make us believe, and yes, even worry, that Our Great and Good God is somehow not in control or does not have the power to keep the things that we worry about from happening. This enemy is described as a Liar, a Thief, a roaring lion seeking who he can devour. To give in and believe his lies leads us to anxiety, fear and worry.
The Bible talks a lot about fear and it says that we shouldn't do it. It talks about a Peace that surpasses all understanding. A Peace that will BLOW YOUR MIND, basically. To the storms, Jesus called out, “Peace Be Still”. The angels in the Jesus narrative, at His Birth and Resurrection, told the observers, “do not be afraid”. There are, in fact, many scriptures that deal with the subject of Peace and how His Peace correlates to our state of mind. If we trust Him, shift our focus onto Him and away from the problems, fears, and anxieties, we will have that mind-blowing, unexplainable Peace.
Unfortunately, I do not always remember this. As humans, our first instinct can be to focus on what's wrong instead of focusing on the One who can help. I have experienced His Peace through some of the storms in my life. I just don't always recall them right away. My default position seems to be to fret, worry, look at anything and everything about the circumstances, rather than to put my trust in the One who still calms the storms of life. It may come down to a control issue and if so, it's best to remember who really is in control at all times and in all situations and circumstances. In other words, not me!
You will keep in perfect peace, all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 NLT
We have an enemy who is all about playing with our minds. An enemy who wants us to believe that God is holding out on us. That He does not have our best interests at heart. The enemy tries to make us believe, and yes, even worry, that Our Great and Good God is somehow not in control or does not have the power to keep the things that we worry about from happening. This enemy is described as a Liar, a Thief, a roaring lion seeking who he can devour. To give in and believe his lies leads us to anxiety, fear and worry.
The Bible talks a lot about fear and it says that we shouldn't do it. It talks about a Peace that surpasses all understanding. A Peace that will BLOW YOUR MIND, basically. To the storms, Jesus called out, “Peace Be Still”. The angels in the Jesus narrative, at His Birth and Resurrection, told the observers, “do not be afraid”. There are, in fact, many scriptures that deal with the subject of Peace and how His Peace correlates to our state of mind. If we trust Him, shift our focus onto Him and away from the problems, fears, and anxieties, we will have that mind-blowing, unexplainable Peace.
Unfortunately, I do not always remember this. As humans, our first instinct can be to focus on what's wrong instead of focusing on the One who can help. I have experienced His Peace through some of the storms in my life. I just don't always recall them right away. My default position seems to be to fret, worry, look at anything and everything about the circumstances, rather than to put my trust in the One who still calms the storms of life. It may come down to a control issue and if so, it's best to remember who really is in control at all times and in all situations and circumstances. In other words, not me!
You will keep in perfect peace, all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 NLT
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