You keep everyone in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You,

because they place their trust in You.

Isaiah 26:3

Perfect peace when all is well is easy, right? But what about when all isn’t well? What about when the doctor’s report is bad, or your prodigal hasn’t come home, or the job ends. This list could go on and on. We have all received at some point some sad, bad news that stole our peace. But we don’t have to lose our peace. This verse (not the reality of my current experience) leads me to believe that it is possible. Which begs the question – how?

The key is in this verse – where have we placed our trust and what is our mind stayed upon?

We can get lost (and lose our peace) while trying to figure it all out. Googling symptoms, speculating about the future, listening to others who have opinions about the situation that may not line up with God’s word. Let’s be honest here, often times when bad news comes knocking on our door, our first and continuing response isn’t setting our mind on Christ and trusting Him to provide the answer, the path, the peace.

Whatever the scary news that comes our way, it didn’t take Him by surprise, He isn’t speculating on how it will play out, nor is He turning His gaze from us, even if we turn ours from Him.

He is author and perfector of our faith.

He is the solid rock on which we stand.

He is the Good Shepherd.

He is the Prince of Peace.

He is our Redeemer, our Deliverer.

He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

He is the one who leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

He is the one who restores our soul, who leads us through the valley of the shadow of death.

He is our ever present help in time of need.

He is so much more and so much bigger than anything that can come against us. He is watching over me and watching over you and worthy of our attention and trust. As we change our focus from the problems facing us and place our focus on the Savior that loves us, we are in a position to embrace the peace He offers.

Father, thank You for sending Jesus to lead us into the peace and love and grace and mercy that You have purposed for us from before the beginning of time. Thank You for proving Yourself to be trustworthy, faithful and full of compassion. When I am pulled away by the stresses of life would you gently (or loudly) draw me back to my place of peace? In Jesus’s name, amen.

I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if I can be praying for you as well.

pic credit: mtmoriahministries.org