Peace

The word that has been on my mind most today has been peace.  As I have grown older and grown in my relationship with the Lord, I have come to look at peace as I look at joy.  If your peace is found in God, it is steadfast.  It does not change when the circumstances of our lives change.  It is deep rooted in the faithful, unfailing promises of the Lord.  Exactly like joy.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."  (Hebrews 13:8)

I've been speaking this Scripture to myself over and over again in my mind today and out loud, as opportunity allows.  Not because I'm trying to convince myself of it, but because I believe it with everything in me and I refuse to allow fear and uncertainty to take over my mind.  There is power and victory in these words.  When I remind myself that He is the same regardless of what life circumstances come my way, I allow myself to trust even more that He is bigger than anything I will face in this life.  His grace is sufficient and He has equipped me for victory. 

He has equipped YOU for victory too.  He has set it in our minds.  He has engraved it in our hearts.  We just have to leave ourselves open to it and allow Him to lead us.

The mental image that I have when meditating on the peace is the ocean.  Sometimes the water is calm.  Sometimes it just flows peacefully along, unmoving.  Then the weather turns, the tides change and storms arise.  The water becomes restless, wave-ridden, in constant turmoil and motion.  As bad as it gets however, the storms cease and the water always eventually calms back down again.  It is so much like our lives.

Whether you're in the midst of a storm today or in a calm season of life, my prayer for you is that you sense His peace and presence in beautiful ways and that you are reminded of His faithfulness.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Selah

Great is Thy faithfulness
O God, my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not
Thy compassions they fail not
As Thou hast been
Thou forever will be

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning
New mercies I see
All I have needed
Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness
Lord unto me