The Depth Of Your Peace Depends Upon The Strength Of Your Faith

My Utmost For His Highest

 

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you… —John 14:27

 

“Are you severely troubled right now? […] Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. […] With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. […]  Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled…” (John 14:27).” CHAMBERS

 

The depth of your peace is dependent upon the strength of your faith.  The stress you feel has two sources.  First is from the outside.  Circumstances that you have no control over.  The second, from the inside.  Consequences of actions you have taken or have failed to take. Either way, stress or the lack of peace will take its toll.  It can make you sick.  It can affect your relationships.  Your sleep. It is not good, but then you already know that don’t you.  It’s not a question of whether or not you will encounter stress, but how you will respond to it.  Paul wrote to the Philippian church (Philippians 4) that they should pray about everything and “the peace of God will keep their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” In other words, in times of trouble … look to God.  Perhaps He will intervene in the trouble and resolve it, but more likely you will have to ride it out.  But, regardless of what is happening on the outside, you can be at peace on the inside.  The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is manifested in the Christian because of the presence of the Spirit not because of the determination or willfulness of the Christian.  Now here is the challenge.  Very often when you need God the most, you want Him the least.  For the same reason that Adam and Eve hid in the Garden, we hide from Him as well.  Thinking that we have to deal with life on our own.  And we once did, but not anymore.  CHARLEY

 

It Is Well - Horatio G. Spafford

 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

 

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

 

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!— My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

 

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.