Peace I Give You

So many people spend their whole life looking to create a world for themselves that is as close to perfect as possible. A nice home, a good job, a great family, security through careful financial planning, and good benefits package that includes health insurance and a 401K. When you see somebody who has all of these items in place and mastered they become somewhat of an example to the rest of us of how to set your goals and achieve them.

Some of these items are definitely worthwhile. They are achievable and even desirable. But they themselves should not be our goal. Our peace should not come from this world. Nor should our joy. Yet these two items are exactly what many people commit their lives to achieving outside of God. They may be Christians and they are probably going to heaven but they are looking for peace and joy from this world, not from God.

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Nehemiah 8:10 – “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

It’s clear that our Lord did not ever intend for our joy and our peace to come from anybody but him.

What does this mean? How does this affect how we act and what we do?

It tells us that even when it appears that everything is going against us we still have peace in our lives and joy in our heart. It means that God designed this world with the intent that all of our provision would come from him…not from the world itself. All provision, meaning everything we have and everything we need. Our joy and even the peace that we so long for…these should come from God.

For many people, they try to make the word of God fit their lifestyle…but that will never work. You have to make your lifestyle match up to the word of God. This means that if you’re of the thinking that your security must be something that you can see, taste, and feel…something on this earth that is tangible…you will never fully experience the peace of God as he intended. If your joy is found in your current circumstances than you will never experience the strength that God desires to give you through the joy of the Lord.

Isaiah 55:8 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…”

Our ways are not the way of the Lord because our thoughts are not His thoughts. If we align our thinking to Lord’s thinking our ways will become as His.

Determine today that no matter what comes your way; your joy and your peace will not be affected because it is not dependent on the circumstances of this world; rather they come from the Lord.

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved