Life and peace? Yes, please!

All around us things clamor for our attention, making peace a seemingly elusive concept just out of our reach at times. Paul tells the Romans a mind set on the Spirit leads to life and peace. That sounds great, but how do we do that? How do we take our minds off of our flesh and set them on the Spirit?

Stick around this week and see what God’s word has to say about it …

Nervous Nelly

Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6-7, NLT

Nervous Nelly is the “loving” nickname my family gave me years ago. Truthfully, it’s not the name that I would have chosen, but if the shoe fits?

See, I would never have considered myself a “glass half full” or a “glass half empty” kind of person. Instead, I would say I’m more of a “what if the glass spills” kind of person…and the liquid is hot…and it might burn someone…or what if the glass breaks…where are we going to get a new glass…what if someone gets a cut….

The nickname makes more sense now, doesn’t it?

It would be a struggle for me to put into words how the Lord has worked on me in this area over the past several years. He has done a mighty work on my anxious heart. However, the struggle is still there and worry is an old hat that I’m quick to put on. Diligence in praise and prayer is imperative to keep that old hat off my head!

Paul instructed the Philippians to worry about nothing but to pray about everything. He encouraged them to tell God what they needed and to thank Him for all He had done. Then, they would experience a peace that exceeded anything they could understand.

While worry is never an appropriate response, and praying about everything is imperative, another part is not to be missed. For too long, I just skipped over the thank Him for all He has done part. Because honestly, when life feels uncertain and my faith feels weak in the knees, my focus is on me and the storms around me. But when I’m able to take my thoughts off of myself and praise Him with thanksgiving, I gain some proper perspective as well as the peace I’m desperately needing.

But how do we do this when our weak-kneed faith collides with the storms of life? We praise Him. With great intention, we recall His works in our lives and we thank Him.

When our worries are turned into prayers and His goodness is recalled with thanksgiving, our hearts and minds are with His peace, exceeding anything we can understand.

With thanksgiving,

Traci