How do you maintain perfect peace? I woke up this morning and began to feel anxious about how fast God is growing and changing our law practice, GoFaithStrong and Fostering By Faith. There is just so much responsibility that it easily becomes overwhelming. God has all these big, big plans, and most of the time I feel like I’m just trying to hang on for the ride. But sometimes I doubt, become anxious and ask myself: “Where will the next podcast come from? How will the bills get paid? What is the back-up plan?”
My friend, it’s when I begin to ask MYSELF these questions that—I know I’ve fallen off the horse!
If this is all God’s work, then every problem is also His! Why would I turn around and try to take it back? Well, that’s a really good question. It’s one I need to ask myself daily in order to remember WHO my life belongs to. Yesterday’s devotional was about the key to having a thankful heart and making God the Lord of our life, right?
Well, the key to having perfect peace is the same thing: God must be LORD of our life!
I was surprised to learn that we are COMMANDED to let the peace of God rule our heart:
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were CALLED in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:12-17
Again, there is that critical “thankful heart” interwoven throughout this passage. And that thankful heart is produced when God is our LORD. This passage makes it clear that we are CALLED to have peace RULE our hearts. For that to happen, the Prince of Peace must be our LORD and MASTER. Much of our unwelcome anxiety is the result of our heart dethroning God. When we put Him back in control…peace reigns supreme. It HAS to because Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
Who is your master right now and—is he/she/it—giving you peace?
So when I think about what or who is making me anxious right now, I need to take a step back and place God back in control of my life. Sometimes that is as simple as a prayer of repentance for doubting Him. Other times it means I need to do some mental uprooting of negative thoughts and replace them with healthy ones. Our enemies are constantly bombarding us with negative thoughts, worries, ugliness, doubts, insecurities, etc. We need to boot them out before they take root and then…plant some better thoughts like some reminders about God’s promises of peace:
“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
To have the peace which passes understanding, our mind must be stayed on God.
“Lord, I want you to be the Master of my life today. Please take captive any thoughts that rob me of Your Lordship. Lord, help me to count the blessings You are pouring out on my life right now. Help me remember the blessings of the past—especially your great salvation of my soul. Help me to keep Your mind and attitudes at the center of all I do. Jesus, I want You, the Prince of Peace, to be my Master today and always. Remind me all day long who I belong to so I can better glorify YOU. In Jesus name, Amen.”
