This morning I awoke so differently than yesterday! Ever since my posting yesterday, I've been filled with such peace! I am SO grateful! For my devotional time this morning, I decided to look up more about the "peace of God" - the phrase used in the KJV of the verse I quoted yesterday from Philippians 4:7. The concordance only listed one other passage with that phrase. It is found in Colossians:
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ — the Message — have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! 17 Let every detail in your lives — words, actions, whatever — be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way. (Col 3:12-17 - from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
What if every morning, as dress my body for the day, I also take the time to consciously dress my mind and heart with these "clothes"? What a wonderful habit to start! What would it mean for me to consciously dress in compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, even-temperedness, forgiveness, love, peace, and gratitude as I begin each day? How would this affect the way I live my life?
As I look over this list, I see many attributes that I seek to embody on a regular basis. A couple of things in this list stand out to me today: quiet strength and discipline. It seems to me that clothing myself in these attributes contributes to experiencing that peace that passes all understanding. For some reason I've never before thought of "quiet strength" and "discipline" as spiritual attributes to aspire to. And yet, when I think about it, the only way I can live in quiet strength is by placing my trust in God to see me through the challenges each day brings, and discipline is required to keep at it until it is an established habit. A phrase flits through my mind - "in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." I look the verse up and find it in Isaiah:
For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift. One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. (Isaiah 30:15-18 KJV)
How many times in life have I run from my problems? Yesterday morning when I was feeling so anxious, it was so tempting to run away from the feelings by stuffing myself with food! And I could have justified it so easily by telling myself that eating a good breakfast is important to my health! I'm SO GRATEFUL that I chose to take my concerns to God instead! The result of that decision was that not only did I have peace yesterday, but instead of waking up this morning feeling bloated and still anxious, I was able to awaken feeling peace and contentment! Thank you, God!
Father, I am so grateful for the peace you've given me! How amazing it is that I can experience such peace when nothing has changed relative to the CIRCUMSTANCES in my life that had created the anxiety. All that was needed was a change of heart and mind - a reminder to rely on you for guidance and strength and to trust your leading in all things! Thank you for the opportunities you are bringing my way, and the strength you give to see them through. And thank you for the clothes you've given for my mind and heart! I love you, Father!
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This blog is simply a sharing of my "daily bread" - my daily walk with God. If something I've said has touched your heart, or sparked a new thought, I'd love to hear from you.