This week's guest blog post is by such a sweet and special friend to me. I absolutely love Nicole and her beautiful, genuine heart and love for the Lord. Over the past few years we have got to know each other better and become closer friends through church but more specifically our women's small Pure Connection group. I can always count on her to be honest, down to earth and to make me laugh. I hope you all enjoy this post as much as I did!!!
Isaiah 26:3 NLT
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Perfect peace?? Yes please!!
Isn’t it funny how we are all looking for some perfect peace...but like a fast food drive thru...to
go...with some joy on the side...and make it snappy. Because we are busy dealing with laundry,
dishes, kids homework that we don’t understand, extra jobs at work, oh...and that cute boy we
married several years ago. Think he told me to pick him up something on the way home, but I
forgot what it was ;p And this is what most of us call normal.
At some point in our lives, we also deal with more serious hurts and pain. Whether it is a
struggle financially, within our marriages, sickness, work problems, loss, children going astray,
and much more. I think all of us can relate to situations and circumstances that seem just
unbearable...like the weight of the problem itself could just crush you underneath it.
I love that the whole chapter of Isaiah 26 is really about thanksgiving a song of praise. And
this verse can bring such refreshment physically, mentally, and emotionally. Maybe it is
because it requires some action on our part. We must put aside our anxious thoughts and the
things that are causing our stress and worry...and turn ALL of that attention on Him! Really and
truly focusing on our Savior and His character.
To be kept in perfect peace does not mean that we are unmoved by outside circumstances. It
does not mean we remain super stoic as life is throwing us lemons. It means, rather, that as the
lemons are flying we have faith and access to the One who can provide the peace in our lives
to walk through those hard times and on to the other side. A peace like this accompanied with
faith and trust can’t always be explained in human terms. It’s engaging….it’s something we
need to experience.
I will be the very first to say this is one of the hardest things to do! I am a problem solver by
nature...my husband would agree with this for sure! I want to make everything work out, and I
will agonize over something and examine it every which way. I will do everything in my power to
make it right or better, but sometimes life just doesn’t work in our favor. Or even worse, we get
hurt by circumstances completely out of our control. If we are not careful to guard our hearts
and minds the lie we end up believing is that ‘when our life seems to fall apart then so do we.’
But the truth is...it doesn’t have to be that way! There is true peace...the peace that passes all
understanding (Philippians 4:7) waiting for us.
I believe real trust in the Lord comes with knowing His character...who He is truly. This takes
time and effort. Something that doesn’t always come easy within our daily routines. But we
develop this relationship and trust the exact same way we do any other relationship with focus
and quality time. Getting to truly know the other person.
If we have a strong trust in God...we won’t let our situations and circumstances run away with
us….because we know that He has the power to work all things for our good (Romans 8:28).
We can make conscious efforts to turn our thoughts towards Him. We can protect our minds
from negative thoughts and lies by recognizing them for what they are and nothing more.
We can recall the promises of His Word “Be confident of this, that He who began a good work in
you will be faithful to complete it” (Philippians 1:6) and “We are more than conquerors through
Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).
I pray this scripture brings you hope and courage like it did for me! Whatever you may be facing
today, turn from it for a moment and fix your thoughts on God, trust in Him, and let His perfect peace
rise up in your souls.
-Nicole Steel
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