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
Many times this past week, my peace was threatened. How often I reflected on last week’s verse, “Come to me all who are weary, and I will give you rest.” Why do I feel weary, overwhelmed, and unprepared? The answer: too many things which I permitted to distract me from God.
What things?
Girl drama.
Broken refrigerator.
Wasted food.
Stinky refrigerator.
Girl drama.
Need for doctor appointment.
In bed too late.
Wake up too early.
Deadline looming.
Girl drama.
Broken play set.
New diet.
No refrigerator.
No food.
Must grocery shop.
Girl drama.
Need chocolate.
Really must grocery shop!
In ultimate frustration, I escaped into my closet to pray. As I stumbled onto my “prayer step,” my words tumbled out. My gaze bounced about until I forced my eyes closed, blocking out the multitude of distractions: clothes needing folded, shoes needing cleaned, boxes needing a home.
As I finished my prayer, I opened my eyes and my gaze landed on the plaque I’d hung a few years ago.
It’s words of wisdom silenced my heart and calmed my mind: “Be still and know I am God.” Psalm 46:10
I had not been still in days. My quiet time was rushed or paused before it got started.
I hadn’t given everything over to Him. I was pitifully attempting to do it on my own.
He does care about my daily concerns and frustrations. I realized I had not even asked for His agenda before I went rushing into mine.
Did I remember to acknowledge Him and humbly recognize how small my concerns, my inconveniences are? No.
During the next moments in prayer I thanked God that this time the chaos drove me directly to Him.
Five minutes later my world hadn’t changed but my response did.
Nothing could change the fact that, regardless of all the other stuff, I am a child of God. Nothing, no broken refrigerator, no girl drama, nor lack of chocolate.
Grateful God had straightened me out for the moment, I exited my closet with peace in my heart.
Reflections:
1) What threatened your peace?
2) Where do you run when your peace is threatened?
3) Do you have a specific place where you can go and talk to God, alone, undistracted?
4) Identify items that ‘Get you every time,’ taking your focus off God.
5) How can you retrain your reaction pattern?
Thanks for reading! Please return by Monday, September 23, for the nest post.
Thank you! You are such an encouragement to many and I wanted to say I appreciate your time in doing this blog. Again, thanks!!
Thank you Tom!
Choosing to be Christ-like is not a natural human tendency. But I am trying to train myself to stop, before my human reaction surfaces, and process how I should respond. Many failures, but still trying!
Thanks for reading, and for your comment!
Stefanie