Peace, wherefore art thou peace?
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Susanne from Living to tell the Story
"Peace, wherefore art thou peace?"
Sunday night. And I'm breathing a sigh of relief. It's Sunday. That means that the last week is over. A new week is beginning. A new week with new opportunites, new chances, new things to look forward to. Have you ever felt like that?
This last week was, now what's the right word? It was shall we say, overwhelming? What with work, home and all that comes with celebrating a child turning 18, a mother in law's birthday, a sister in law's birthday, add in a beloved pet passing away and I was exhausted. Then the weekend came and there were a few major issues to be dealt with and the next thing I knew, I was agitated, short of patience, and wanting to run away.
How could this happen? This knot in my stomach, this roiling feeling inside? Had I not dedicated this year to be a year of peace for my family. Wasn't this supposed to be a happy week with the oldest crossing the threshold into being an adult? Well, I was blowing it big time. Where was the peace? Where, Lord, was the peace in my heart that you promised?
Sitting in my car at the lake trying to get myself to calm down, I was clearly reminded of the very scripture I had put on my site only yesterday. Isaiah 26:3.
The Amplified Bible says "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace."
And clearly I saw where I had gone wrong. Peace was not in the cup of Starbuck's Cinnamon Dolce I had run for, nor in the novel in my lap that I was trying to escape into. In all the everyday, in all the celebrations, in all the sadness, I had allowed the Lord to be squeezed out the equation. My mind and heart had been on everything else all week. The Lord was reminding me that if I wanted His peace, I would have to keep my mind and heart upon Him. In the good times, and the bad. In the celebrating and in the sadness. In the busyness and the relaxing.
So I ask myself, is this the kind of peace that I desire? That my heart yearns for? The kind that doesn't get blown around, that trusts confidently in the strength of our God, that knows that He is an everlasting rock? Yes, oh, yes. That is exactly what I'm desiring! And isn't that what each child of God desires in their lives also? Then let us commit to keep our minds and hearts stayed upon Him, to lean upon Him, throughout our day, in the good moments and the bad. And He shall be our Peace.
Susanne S. ~~ I invite you to visit my personal blog at Living to tell the Story
posted by Susanne @ 2:00 AM
21 Comments:
Yes, He is my sweet, sweet peace.
This is a good word for all of us today, Susanne. Thank you.
Sometimes I bury my agitation and anxiet in things in like Starbucks and books and ... blogging. You are so right about keeping your priorities and life goals in the forefront of your thinking. I have always loved this verse and is one of a few I've been able to memorize!
Yes. I need this today. And every day! Thanks.
Susanne,
Great reminder. Sometimes just that stopping and taking a big "breath of God" is just what I need. True peace only comes with Him.
Thanks for the encouragement and welcome to the Cafe'!!
Love,
Sue
Loved this post Susanne, it's so easy to get our priorities all messed up....I have to keep reminding myself that He comes first and everything else will just fall into place.
Beautiful thoughts Susanne and so true, thank you.
Hugs
Sarah x
Great Post...I keep saying this verse over and over to myself. It does bring me back and focus on Him and not me. Philippians 4:6-7 is some more that come to mind about receiving His peace. He is the only One we should turn to and how many times do we not? Thanks for reminding us today...Blessings Mary Lou at dlowran1(at)comcast(dot)net
Oh Susanne! This whole post was so lovely and peaceful - thank you.
So true, Susanne! True peace only comes from the Lord Himself...and we have to spend time seeking Him and making Him our priority. So easy for us all to get lost in the fast-paced happenings of life...such a great reminder and beautifully said!
(((HUGS)))
~Tammy
Hi, Life can be so hectic and mind blowing! I feel that being human, I will not always be able to feel what I think is peaceful. Sometimes, I lie in bed trying to make my heart peaceful. Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Thank you Susanne for sharing this with us.
"You will keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You."
I love, love, love this verse. Because I need, need, need to hear it so very often. Thank you for the great reminder of the only source of it!
And . . . Welcome!!
Darnelle
Susanne,
It is so fun to see you here...and as usual your words are such an encouragement.
Thank you for this timely reminder that "He keeps in perfect peace those whose mind is stayed on Him," but it's the last sentence of this verse that always gets me right in the heart, "because he (or I) trusts in You(meaning the Lord)."
My mind sometimes wanders away from trusting Him completly and therefore away from Him...which leads to the lack of peace. And just as you described it, it is during those stressful and difficult times that I need to put all my trust in Him and not in my own strength.
Again, thanks for this beautiful devotion!
This is such a beautiful reminder that we must not let the busyness of our lives make us so crazy, we forget to slow down and accept the peace we are offered by our Father.
It's such an easy trap to fall into, isn't it?
I can tell you were at peace when you wrote this.
Very well put, Susanne. I often find myself running to the computer or the tv or even a glass of wine to take the edge off a rough day, when none of those things provides the peace that my heavenly Father can. And it's all right there for the asking. Thanks for this reminder today.
Thanks Susanne! Good Word for today!
Great reminder for me! And so, so true.
This was a great perspective. Yes, I need to remember where *true* peace comes from, and not seek it from a counterfeit. I think it's His grace that certain things fail to bring peace... so we'll continue to seek Him, the True Source. Loved this post!
Great post Susanne!!
Thank you for the inspiring post
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