Increase Your Peace

Increase Your Peace  

 

 

 

Stress.  It’s something we all deal with from time to time, but we all seem to handle it a bit differently.  How should we be handling it though?  For me, I tend to resort to missing meals, missing sleep, and a negative attitude.  None of those things are very good decisions; and to be honest with you all I definitely have some work to do in this area!  I’ve discovered a major flaw, however, in how I go about “fixing” my stress.  Typically if it’s caused by exams, friend problems, or anything I think I’m capable of overcoming, I spend a lot of time trying to fix the issue.  The problem with this is I can’t always fix the issue myself, thus, leading me into further frustration. 

The truth: When we are obedient and do everything with excellence, we can find peace through trust in God.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation. Isaiah 12: 2

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

In other words, when we are doing our best to serve God but there are still some bumps along the way, we really just need to step back and let God do the work.  He may not fix your problem but He will give you peace IF you let Him.

The truth: “Fixing” the stressors in your life isn’t always necessary.  God will calm your storm.  

You know that old saying, “everything happens for a reason?”  Well, whether or not you believe that to be true, God allows us to face trials for several reasons, but He never wanted to see us suffer.  God provides peace because He does care, and although it may seem hard, sometimes we just have to allow the stressful times to pass and rely on God to carry us through.

The Lord will fight for you. You have only to be still. Exodus 14:14

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

So God may have left us with the world in which we, in fact, will face many stressful events, but He also left us with the gift of peace.  Kind of silly to just ignore something like that, you know?  It’s so easy to slip into fix-it mode, but when we take another look at the Bible, it is clear that the stressful times have lessons to be learned and God will be there to give us PEACE.

The truth: God’s peace passes all understanding.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

I can tell you from my personal experience, all of the verses I have listed are no joke.  It’s hard to explain, but there have been times where I’ve been so stressed, then a simple prayer gives me such strong assurance and security that I’m not walking this journey alone, and everything is going to be alright. 

So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed with stress, rather than try to “fix it”, remember God’s promise.

Until next time…

Peace out. ;)