(Col 3:15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts . . .
Before I met Christ, my life was filled with strife and turmoil. But when Jesus came in, what an immeasurable peace came over my heart to reside there! I was so happy, and my heart sang of His love and salvation. The Prince of Peace ruled my life and now no matter what happened, it didn’t matter. I knew Jesus was in charge and His peace filled my soul, even in trouble and tribulation. Now I am determined to maintain that peace at all costs. I can’t live or function without it!
Let’s look at the peace of God more closely: (Phil 4:6-7) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Wow, what a verse! And it’s for us!! Paul instructs us not to worry about anything. He says to translate any concern into prayer and thanksgiving, as if the need was already taken care of. Then this amazing peace would stand guard over our hearts and minds, so we wouldn’t revert back to being an anxious person.
Here’s another wonderful promise about the peace of God: (Isa 26:3) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Perfect peace is actually “shalom shalom” in the Hebrew. That means we will have much peace if we focus our mind on the Lord and trust Him with the issues of our lives.
I not only enjoy the peace of God in my life but also use it to regulate events in my life. In other words, if I am losing that sense of the peace of God, I am probably going in a wrong direction. God’s peace has lifted and is not ruling in my heart. I need to reassess things with God through prayer. He knows what’s best about my course in life. If a decision lacks peace, then I dare not keep going down that road. Maybe God has another way for me. I need to slow down and avoid that which disturbs my soul. (1 Cor 14:33) For God is not the author of confusion but of peace . . . When you face confusion, ask for an infusion of peace and refuse to operate without it.
I remember a prime opportunity during college of moving into an apartment with a friend. It was right by the beach and it was cheap. My friend was the manager who collected the rent and oversaw things. Wow, I could surf every day! I literally jam-packed my VW van with all my possessions and attended a college class first before I made my move. When I got back in the van and headed to the beachside apartment, a terrible feeling came over me. I had no peace. It was so bad that I turned around and headed back home. It was that semester I met Cheryl! That lack of peace was a gift. Let’s let the peace of God rule in our hearts and guide our lives!
Louie