Heart at Peace

"A heart at peace gives life to the body."

Proverbs 14:30

World leaders pursue it.  The Swiss and Norwegians give prizes to promote it.  Entertainers sing about it.  Philosophers wax poetic on the origins of it.  Religions claim to have it.  Talk of peace is everywhere, but is peace even possible apart from the One who created me?


The Dalai Lama said, "We can never obtain peace with the outer world until we make peace with ourselves."  
Mahatma Gandhi said, "Each one has to find his peace from within.  And peace to be real must be unaffected by the outside circumstances."
Buddha said, "Peace comes from within.  Do not seek it without."


Each of these men knew the importance of a heart at peace, but were confused about how to find it.  It comes not from within and cannot be found through sheer effort and determination.  Instead, peace comes from a mind that is focused on God and His ability to take care of me.  Rest is found in loving Him and His law, for then I am not fighting against His ways.    A sense of harmony permeates my life because I am reunited with God, now able to foster a personal relationship with Him because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. 


Peace is found in being right with God.  How do I know whether my heart is at peace?

Content

Here is my picture of contentment:  Sitting in a comfortable chair on a cold winter's day next to a blazing fire with a dog at my feet and a good book in my lap.  Aaahhh.  I'm more relaxed just thinking about that scene.  

Feeling satisfied and completely at ease with my circumstances is not a usual state for my heart.  Most of the time I am thinking of ways to improve the way I do things or how I can upgrade my possessions or about additions I can make to my home or yard to increase my quality of life.  I am usually not content.

The Apostle Paul knew how to be happy with what God had given him, whether in plenty or in need, well-fed or hungry.  He said the secret was to know that, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  (Philippians 4:13)

True contentment has nothing to do with my circumstances, my possessions or my position.  Instead, it has everything to do with the One who provides all things.  God will get me through any situation if I would only trust Him.  This means I must give Him the control, allowing Him to choose how much I will have, or not have, and I will choose to be thankful for what He has given me, not pining away for what I lack.  

Turn of the 18th Century writer and preacher William Law said, "One who makes it a rule to be content in every part and accident of life because it comes from God praises God in a much higher manner than one who has some set time for the singing of psalms."  The bottom line is that when I choose to be thankful for the place God has put me, I am paying tribute to Him with my attitude.

A heart at peace keeps my focus on what I do have, not on what I don't have.  It is then that I am truly praising God.

Trusting

Playing on a teeter-totter is an exercise in trust.  If the person on the other end of the lever suddenly jumps off, I will crash to the ground and my faith in that person will fall as well.  But if that playmate instead keeps steady on their end, being mindful of my well-being when exiting, I know I am in good hands.  I would trust the second person more than the first.

In this same way God has proven himself to be completely trustworthy.  Over 300 of the prophecies told about the coming Messiah were fulfilled in the the birth, life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Moreover, there are over 2,000 total prophecies given in the Bible, all of which came true.  


Beyond the prophecies, there are hundreds of accounts of times that God came through for those who followed Him; He delivered Noah, his family and ark load of animals from the flood of judgment.  God asked Moses to do the impossible but made it possible by His mighty Hand.  He sent Gideon to war when He was outnumbered 300 to 1, yet secured him victory.  


In the same way, God will never let me fall and I can trust that He has my best interest at heart.  The psalmist reminds me that, "Blessed is the man who fears the LORD. . .he will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.  His heart is secure, he will have no fear."  Psalm 112:1, 7-8)


Trusting in God, though,  takes more than reading about all the ways God is dependable.  Building a trust relationship also means I will need to experience His times of deliverance for myself.  When I take a step of faith, getting in over my head out of obedience to Him instead of saying, "Oh, no, I can't do that.  I'm not ready for that yet,"  I am telling God that I have confidence that He will give me what I need to accomplish what He's put before me.  I am saying that I know that He's up for the job even if I'm not.  I am giving God the message that my life is in His hands.


 A heart at peace grows deep roots to feed on the living water offered only by God.. . and flourishes.  

Devoted

The blackberry vines threatened to overtake our yard.  At first it was kind of fun to have some blackberries right in our own backyard.  Then, the insidious vines began to encroach on our yard, reducing the size of our grassy area.  One day I'd had enough.  I declared war on the intruder.  

As part my anti-blackberry campaign, I needed to devote my full attention to the annihilation of this unrelenting menace.  Each day I dedicated some time to pulling vines out of the ground.  Once I reached the end of the yard, it was time to start over again at the other end, continuing by pulling out the vines that had recently sprouted.  I could never let my guard down.  Even today, 2 years later, I must do a weekly sweep of the area to remove any determined plants.  

My attention to God and His ways could be similarly attentive.  Just as it was unwise to leave any roots or stragglers when clearing the berry bushes, I must be equally as diligent when clearing things out of my life that dishonor and distract from God.  There are many activities, relationships and philosophies that seem harmless and even kind of interesting at first.  Soon, though, I will find that they will encroach on my heart, taking the attention that once was devoted to God.

Like the Israelites, I need to be careful when dealing with idols and false gods.  It was said that the heart of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah was at first, "devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah."  (2 Chronicles 17:6)  He was not just focused on God and His ways, but he was also diligent about removing from the presence of his people the temptation that would take his people away from God.

How many times I hang on to music, movies or magazines that dishonor God because it seems wasteful to throw them away.  Other times I feel justified in keeping objects or hobbies that tend to be obsessive for me because I've already invested so much time and money into them.  Or there are certain belief systems that seem right to me and I continue to support out of tradition but are actually in conflict with the message of the gospel.    

A heart at peace is intolerant of anyone or anything that takes away from my full devotion to God.  

Peace is possible.  As I give God more and more of my life to do with as He pleases, I am left with a peace that is inexplicable.  The evidence of this heart at peace is a sense of contentment, an ability to trust God, and a devotion to God and God alone.  This is truly a picture of good health!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will seek peace with God by pursuing Him and Him alone.

What am I unwilling to let go of out of respect and reverence for God?

When is my heart discontent with the circumstance in which God has placed me?

Faithfulness of God

"For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ

with a resounding 'Yes!'  

And through Christ,

our 'Amen' (which means 'Yes')

ascends to God for his glory.

It is God who enables us,

along with you,

to stand firm for Christ.

He has commissioned us,

and he was identified us as his own

by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts

as the first installment that guarantees

everything he has promised us."

2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NLT

Track Record.  I usually know whether or not I can depend on someone based upon their past behavior.  Some are dependable, others are flaky and forgetful.  Behavior betrays one's faithfulness.

I can always count on God as recorded in His Word.  "I will proclaim the name of the LORD.  Oh, praise the greatness of our God!  He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.  A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he."  (Deuteronomy 32:3-4)

When all around me seems unstable and unsure, I can stand on the Solid Rock.  Even when I don't know the answers, God holds the blueprint for my life in the palm of his hand.  In the times when I feel I can't trust myself, let alone those around me, I can trust God.  

Why can I put all my eggs in God's basket?  It is because He possesses a flawless track record.

Abraham

The years past by and hope turned to dust; dry and lifeless like the rocky land in which he lived. I want to believe God, but how long must a wait for a child?  I'm an old man. . . maybe I was hallucinating.  Maybe God wants me to do something to make His promise happen.  Maybe I imagined the whole thing.  

Abraham and Sarah had to wait over 25 years before the promise God made in Genesis 12 was fulfilled; the promise that, ". . all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. . " and, "To your offspring I will give this land." (v3, 7)

Finally, when Abraham reached 100 years of age, Isaac was born; the promise had been fulfilled.  God has His own timetable and it has nothing to do with me.  If I'm going to trust Him I must not bind Him with the parameters of time.  

I often grow weary of waiting; for things to get better, for relationships to be healed, for hardened hearts to soften.  As one who follows a faithful God, I know that I can trust Him to do as He has said He will do.  He will finish what He has started, bind the brokenhearted and work a miracle in a heart.  He is able. . . if I am willing to wait on Him.

God is faithful to keep His promises. . . on His timetable.

Joseph

It all started with a dream.  He foolishly and arrogantly shared the dream with his brothers of all their sheaves of wheat bowing down to his.  Soon, he found himself the victim of his brother's cruel jealousy, sold into slavery and on his way to Egypt to become the slave of Pharaoh's captain of the guard.  

As if this wasn't bad enough, despite the position of trust he had risen to in the house of Potiphar, he soon found himself imprisoned due to a false charge by his master's wife.  Years later, God enabled him to interpret the Pharaoh's dream, landing him a position as second in command in all of Egypt.  After 13 years of unfair circumstances and undeserved treatment, Joseph had risen to an unimaginable level.  As he later said to his brothers when they were reunited, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."  (Genesis 50:20)

You see, Joseph's life seemed like one big tragedy, but because of the foresight revealed by Pharaoh's dream, the prophecy from a boy's long ago dream came true.  And through Joseph's position of power, God was able to use him to prepare a country for a famine that no one else knew was coming.  Soon, all would come to Egypt looking for grain.  Even his brothers would bow before him out of desperation.

I often feel like life has not been fair to me or those around me.  I work hard and try to do the best I can, but I can't seem to catch a break.  I lose my job.  I am falsely accused.  I am taken to court.  The car breaks down, the roof springs a leak and my knee goes out all in the same week.  When will things get better?

Even though life is harsh and circumstances seem unfair, God has a way of taking something bad and using it for the good.  He has a knack for utilizing weak and broken people for powerful and restorative acts.  The Lord can turn the tables in a heartbeat, leaving observers with a serious case of whiplash.

The Apostle Paul reassured us with the thought that, "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Joseph's purpose was ultimately to provide a way for the Israelites to enter into slavery in Egypt, thus opening a need for delivery in a way that would showcase God's great power and proclaim His name throughout all the earth. 

Who knows what plan God has for my life. . . or for your life?  Future generations could be affected by circumstances that I am going through right now.  My ancestors might benefit from the fruit that is produced from my heartache.  A seed that is planted right now in the midst of my trouble could sprout and grow for many to see in years yet to come.

Putting my trust in a faithful God means leaving the outcome up to Him, no matter how unfair circumstances now may seem.

Messiah

"He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."  (Isaiah 53:5)

"You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay."  (Psalm 16:10)

"The LORD ways to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.' (Psalm 110:1)

Generations of Jews studied these, along with many other prophecies, as they awaited the coming of their Messiah; their promised deliverer.  When would He come?  How will He vanquish our enemies?  How long must we wait?  They must have quivered with excitement of the prospect of their liberation.  

God did fulfill these prophecies in the Person of Jesus Christ.  He died on the cross, taking the punishment for my sins and giving me a peace with God through faith in Him.  He rose again on the third day, illustrating His victory over death.  He is now seated at the right hand of God as the conqueror of the power and consequences of sin in my life.  All mankind is liberated from the death sentence our sin deserves.  

From the moment when Adam first sinned and the state of mankind fell from it's original design, we have been estranged from God.  In that one instant on the cross, the relationship was restored and the impossible once again became possible.  The imperfect is reunited with the Perfect One.  The unholy can abide with the Holy One.  The estranged is brought back together with the Beloved.

If God can accomplish the impossible task of redeeming my hopeless, sinful soul, then I can certainly trust God with everything in my life.

It is not easy to trust those who let us down, but because of God's faithfulness to keep His promises, I can stand firm on His strong foundation.  The constricts of time, harsh circumstances or impossible tasks do not get in His way.  His will prevails. . . of this I can be certain.   

This is the God on Whom I will stake my life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can remember all that God has done to help me believe in all that He will do.

How do I get bogged down in the difficulties and forget that His plan can use those troubles?

When would it benefit me to remember the impossible task of redemption that Jesus accomplished on the cross?