|
Sometimes
it seems as if everything in life is
conspiring against our having peace.The
dog is barking, the kids are fighting,you're
stuck in traffic and you just had an
argument with your spouse.In the midst
of all of this unrest, how is peace
possible?
The
answer to this question depends in part
on how you define peace. One way to
define peace is simply the absence of
conflict. If you can resolve whatever
conflict you are facing, then you can
have peace. But when conflict rears
its head, peace runs out the door, and
it won't return until the conflict is
settled. This notion of peace is a good
start, but it is also fragile, because
it is totally dependent on your circumstances.
A
stronger definition of peace is one
that allows you to rise above your circumstances
and remain calm despite the storm raging
around you. It is a sense of assurance
that no matter what happens, things
will eventually get better, and that
somewhere, someone trustworthy is in
control. This sort of peace is not dependent
on circumstances. Rather, it allows
you to see beyond your surroundings
and fix your eyes on a point in the
distance that allows you to hold steady
on your course and ride out the storm.
How
can you find this sort of peace? By
putting your trust in the one person
who transcends all of our trials and
struggles: Jesus Christ. In the Bible,
Jesus offers to give us peace if we
follow Him. "Come to me, all of
you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest" (Matthew
11:28). As God, Jesus is the only one
who can truly offer us this gift. If
we put our trust in Him, He will give
us the strength and the endurance we
need to weather any situation.
Jesus
doesn't promise that life will be easy.
In fact, if we truly follow Him, He
says we will experience trials of many
kinds. But rather than let these problems
lead us to despair, we can be assured
that we are not alone, and that we are
not struggling in vain. As the writer
of the book of James in the Bible says,
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of
your faith develops perseverance"
(James 1:2-3).
You
can place your trust in Jesus by asking
Him to help you deal with your circumstances.
Are you struggling with something right
now? Take a moment and tell Jesus about
it. Tell Him you trust in His ability
to help you deal with the situation,
and ask Him for the strength and wisdom
you need to get through it. Then wait
expectantly to see what God will do.
Your circumstances may not change, but
your level of peace and contentment
will.
To
contact us, click here
To
read past issues of this newsletter
go to Archives.
|
