Once again, we are looking today at what we can do to have peace each and every day. As I have shared in the previous weeks, I began thinking about this in a more in-depth manner as I read the book, Calming The Storm Within: How to Find Peace In This Chaotic World, by Jim Lange.
The first week we learned from Mr. Lange’s statement, “Chaos is a part of life that cannot be avoided. We need to actually embrace the chaos because God allows it for our own good.” The second week we looked at his words, “Any lack of peace that I experience is simply because I am focusing on my issues and me rather than on Jesus.” Last week we looked at the fact that we probably won’t have peace until our thoughts change from “Why is this happening TO me…to What is God doing FOR me?”
I think this week’s insight from Mr. Lange’s book is where the rubber meets the road. I think it is something that if we really took to heart…if we really grasped this truth and believed it…we would experience more peace. He says this, “This might surprise you, but worry and anxiety (or a lack of peace) is sin. It dishonors God, because when we worry or have anxiety in our hearts, we are effectively saying that God is not big enough to handle it, or that we trust ourselves more than we trust God. We are putting ourselves and our issues ahead of our Creator, which is the ultimate in pride and selfishness.”
I have preached and written about this very truth and I have even gone so far as to say that when we worry, when we lack peace, we are acting like an atheist. We are saying that we don’t believe there is a God big enough to handle our needs. We are saying that we don’t believe His promises…that our pace is better than His pace...that our plans are better than His plans. We are saying we don’t trust Him enough to allow Him to be our Shepherd. And when we don’t believe…we won’t have peace.
It is so sobering to me when I think about the times when I have acted like an atheist. When my actions show others that I don’t believe there is a God big enough to handle whatever life throws my way, why in the world would they want to have a relationship with my Savior? If I don’t have peace; if I don’t show them that my faith and trust is in the One who gave His all for me, they aren’t going to want to hear about Him. This is sobering…because these actions of mine can have an eternal consequence for those who need my Jesus.
Remember how God provided manna daily for the Israelites? This story has always intrigued me because God could have provided them with storehouses full of manna that never would have spoiled. He was more than capable of doing that. But instead, He chose to feed them daily because He wanted them to trust Him for today AND for tomorrow…knowing He would provide whatever was needed. I am sure He wanted them to learn to have peace, even when they knew they only had provisions for today.
I don’t know about you, but I know this is an area of my life I need to turn completely over to the Lord. I, just like the Israelites, need to have peace knowing He has promised to provide whatever I need for today and He is big enough to also handle my tomorrows. My Jesus needs to be enough.
I hope you don’t struggle in this area, but if you do, I would love to pray for you. I think it is important that we support each other in prayer as we strive to demonstrate and live out peace as chaos is swirling around us. If you would like for me to lift you up to our Jesus, just let me know either by e-mail, luannfulton@gmail.com, or feel free to private message me through Facebook.
Our Jesus is enough. When we live like we believe this…peace will come.
“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart.
And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.
So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:27
No comments:
Post a Comment