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"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid."
John 14:27, NLT
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DEVOTION
Not a Hippie Kind of Peace
By Hannah Goodwyn
CBN.com Producer
CBN.com
- Peace. We all want it – for our families, in our troubled relationships, and around the world. I know it’s hard to imagine the chaos in our lives as anything but overwhelming.
One thing that is certain is that God is in the business of doing the unimaginable.
I’m not talking about the hippie kind of peace that’s an impersonal ideal or even just a feeling that’s gone after a moment. I’m talking about the Lord’s reassuring peace that can strip away unrest in each of our lives.
None of us are absent of fears and worries. It’s hard to get away from them. Personally, I’m afraid I’ll always carry those extra pounds I so desperately want to lose. There are, of course, worries about my family’s future. Specifically, my dad’s health as he struggles to recover from the stroke he had two years ago. I worry about my brother who puts his life on the line as a police officer everyday. Also, I fear that I will never meet my future husband.
We all have fears. Just know this, God can do anything. Nothing’s impossible for Him. With His help, our lives will be the best that we could ever imagine. Everything will work out for good.
The Lord led me to Philippians 4:6-8 and I want to share these encouraging words with you:
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious — the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies. (The Message)
That’s what we need – to settle down and let God’s harmonies fill our lives instead of insecurity.
In the midst of chaos, release your fears into the Lord’s hands and rest in His peacefully embrace. And take hold of the blessing God gave to Moses for the Israelites:
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)
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 Hannah Goodwyn currently serves as the managing producer for LivingTheLife.com and a producer/writer for CBN.com. For more articles and info about Hannah, visit her bio page.
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