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Monday, October 29, 2012

He is our Peace

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Peace is something I have been working on. 
I recently read Tracie Miles new book, Stressed Less Living. Tracie offers a fresh perspective and practical tools to help us recognize and deal with every day stress. One thing she points out is that our stress is not really the product of the stressful situations in our lives. 
I am going to borrow Tracie's words from her 10 day stress detox. She does such a great job of helping us see that if the stressors in our lives today were gone, they would be replaced by different ones. I want a peace that is independent of my stressors. Here is Tracie's post. 
Go to 

http://traciemiles.com/ for more of Tracie's inspiring words. You can sign up for her next 10 day Stress Detox.

STRESS DETOX
DAY 2


Today's Peace-full thought:

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (NASB)


Today's Prescription for Peace:
REFLECT

Peace. Can you picture it? What do you see?


Does your mental picture include a golden sunset at the edge of a lake, a gentle ocean breeze, or frozen breath on a snow topped mountain?


Does your last picture of peace date back to a time in your life before your problems began; before abuse, divorce, bankruptcy, infertility, unemployment, etc.?


There are different ways to define peace, and each one of us may have a different mental picture, so it’s important to reflect on what is shaping our picture of peace.


For example, peace to a mom of several young toddlers might be a lack of noise. Peace to a mom of teenagers might be a noisy house, knowing that all her kids are safely at home.  Peace to a busy employee might be a day without problems or deadlines. Peace to a high school student might be the absence of a bully who taunts him or her every day. Peace to a person struggling financially might mean knowing that all of the bills are paid.  Peace to a person who is unhappy with their job might be the acquirement of a new position.


Sometimes our mental pictures of peace – those dream scenarios that we think will make us less stressed – can actually distort our view of what real peace really is. Unfortunately, the longer we reflect on the world’s view of peace instead of peace that is found in Jesus, the chances of ever finding real peace is slim to none.


Many people think that the definition of peace is simply the absence of conflict, but the absence of conflict is only a temporary situation that will always eventually come to a close. This is a fragile view of peace, because the sense of peace is based solely on one’s circumstances.


A much better definition of peace is one that rests on the ability to rise above our circumstances, overcome our innate tendency to stress out over problems, and help us learn to remain calm and confident despite what is going on around us.


That is real peace—a peace based on Christ, not on people or circumstances. A peace based on faith, not on personal desires being met. A peace based on a quieted heart, not on a quiet house. A peace based on the love of Jesus, not on an easy day at work. A peace based on trusting God in all things, not just the simple things we think we can handle on our own.


Is it possible that peace has seemed a thing of the past and out of your reach, because you have been searching for peace in all the wrong places? Because you have had allowed the world’s pictures of peace to distort what real peace really is? Because you have succumbed to the lie that your life can never be peaceful again, because of the circumstances in your life right now?


Sometimes we need to reflect on the past and the present, and peek at what our private mental picture of peace really is, in order to discover that we might need to make some mental adjustments. Once we grab onto God's picture of peace and ask Him to intervene in our lives, we can  step into every day with our hearts and minds focused on God.  Doing that does automatically mean that every day will be free of conflict and overflowing with serenity, but we can ask for God to help our hearts not be troubled - or at least, not near as much.


God's truths in today's key verse remind us that real peace can be fully present in our hearts on the inside, even when our entire life is overflowing with chaos on the outside. Real peace does not come when life starts going our way, people start getting what they deserve, and all problems get resolved.


Only Jesus can give real peace. Real peace that is not based on circumstances. Once we get a taste of that kind of peace- we are never the same again.



Dear Lord, I do want a peace that is a life transforming. Peace that I know can only from You. My life is chaotic, and I have simply not taken time to reflect on when peace became a memory, instead of a reality, in my life. I ask that You infuse Your peace into my heart, and quiet my soul. Help me to see You in the midst of my circumstances, rather than only seeing my circumstances.  Help me to seek You above all else, even when what I really want to seek, is change.  Help me come to know You through the challenges I am facing, so that Your peace can be mine. In Jesus name, Amen.