I love meeting with God in the morning. In those quiet moments before my day really begins, His mercies are so new, His words are so sweet, His presence is so strong and my heart is so still that the Lord’s peace is palpable.
But then I close my Bible, I put away my journal, and I dive into an ever-growing to-do list. Something doesn’t happen like it was supposed to happen. Brogan wakes up in a whiny, messy mood, leaving a trail of debris everywhere he steps. We rush and rush to get out the door on time but somehow we’re late, because we’re always late. And then I get home and there’s an unexpected bill in the mail and that peace that surrounded me in the morning is so very far away and distant that nobody looking at me would ever suspect I experienced it in the first place.
Shew.
Am I the only one who experiences this?
Seriously, if not for life, my quiet-time afterglow would last for an eternity.
Lately, I’ve been searching out God’s promises in Scripture.
The other morning I remembered that Psalm 34 was jam-packed with them, so I turned there. I got to the second part of verse 14 and it was like the words jumped off the page and pinged me between the eyes.
…search for peace and work to maintain it.
Ping!
Light bulb moment.
Life is broken. We’re all operating within a faulty system.
Which means…
Peace is not our default setting or some natural state.
Oh friend, it was supposed to be.
And some day, when Jesus comes again, it will be.
But right now, it’s not.
Yet there I was, living under the false assumption that peace would just come. That it would naturally arise or remain, all on its own.
Only that wasn’t happening.
Because peace isn’t something that magically comes to us or stays with us. We have to go after it. And once we’ve taken hold of it, we have to work hard to maintain it.
Living out a life of peace is an active pursuit, one that requires intentionality and an effort that stems not from our own strength, but from the Spirit inside of us.
The only way we will win this battle for peace is by wielding the Spirit’s sword – which is the Word of God.
So the next time my to-do list feels like I’m being sprayed in the face by a fire house, I can fight back with…
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. ~Psalm 23:2
Or the next time my son wakes up cranky and terrorizes my clean little house, I can fight back with…
This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. ~Psalm 118:24
Or the next time something doesn’t go the way I expected it to go and I don’t know how or when it will get fixed, I can fight back…
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. ~Isaiah 26:3
Or the next time an unexpected bill comes in the mail, I can fight back…
Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. ~Philippians 4:6
Even in this chaotic, busy, broken world, may we be a people marked by peace. And may that peace point to Him.
Let’s Talk: Are you actively pursuing peace in your life? What Scriptures help you fight the battle?
Don’t miss the Wishing on Willows Facebook Extravaganza – a live video streaming event in celebration of my second book release, Wishing on Willows! I will be chatting with readers, there will be SIX awesome prize packages to win (click on the extravaganza link to check out some of the prizes), and two amazing guest authors – Becky Wade and Courtney Walsh. Make sure to mark your calendars for Tuesday, March 19th from 6 – 7 pm, CST. Please click on this link to RSVP!
There’s a guest post AND giveaway of my new novel over on Lindsay Harrel’s blog. I’m talking about fear and the ways we let it hold us back.
Thanks for sharing such a beautiful post, Katie! 🙂
I am actively pursuing peace in my life. A scripture that helps me win the war is Isaiah 26:3 which says God will “keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you (God)”.
And of course Contemporary Christian and Gospel music play a direct role in soothing my soul and promoting peace in my life! 🙂
Thank you for the reminder about intentional peace!
I love 1 Peter 5:7–Cast all your cares upon Him because he cares for you.
Psalm 118:24 that you noted pretty much says it all. Take each day as a blessing, not a curse! “It could always be worse…” No matter what our problem du jour may be, there’s somebody else out there who has an amped-up, desperate flavor of that problem. Use the tools God gives us to create that daily peace. Gratitude and positive energy go a long way! And for me exercise always helps. Has there ever been a day that got worse after running or working out? 🙂 Thanks!
Our women’s Bible study is just finishing a wonderful book, Calm My Anxious Heart, by Linda Dillow. I learned so much about peace, trust, contentment, and dealing with anxiety and other emotions. I highly recommend it for personal use or with a group. The verses in Philp 4 about giving all our worries and fears to God and then we receive His peace in exchange are some of my favorites.
Our Bible study just finished that in January! We started “1000 Gifts” by Ann Voskamp and it is amazing! Both books have been a blessing.
“Living out a life of peace is an active pursuit, one that requires intentionality and an effort that stems not from our own strength, but from the Spirit inside of us.”
A-men. 🙂
You mentioned Isaiah 26:3. That’s one of my go-to verses. I also recently read on Beth Vogt’s blog that she starts out the day with that “This is the day…” verse from Psalm 118. I’ve thought of that on so many mornings since…and copied her. 🙂
Will always love that there’s no condemnation for those who are in Christ! Amen!!!
This post reminds me of the commercial (oj I think) when a group of folks is at the breakfast table preparing the man (there’s also one w/ a woman) what is going to play out…flat tire, late to meeting, etc. Then the line–good thing I had my oj.
I say good thing for peace–that we can even look to that at all. Man, it makes me crave heaven that much more.
Thanks for churning thoughts.