Serenity From the Source

Anxiety is stalking just about everybody in these turbulent times! Teenagers I counsel are less concerned with their pimples than the kind of world they will inherit in a few years. Apocalyptic headlines convince these tender souls that we stand on the brink of the world's end. We don't!


Our battered economy has young parents anxious about how they will provide for their kids. They will find a way! We middle-aged people hear all the dire news about government debt and the 'certainty' of no funding for Social Security and it makes our 'golden years' seem awfully grim! But, why?
As disciples of the Lord of Life, there is a promised blessing that we can and should take hold of for each day. That blessing is the 'peace of God!' The Bible urges us to choose serenity. Take a look. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)
Peace results from choosing our Source!

If we trust in ourselves, our President, or Glenn Beck- anxiety will surely build. Why? Because these times have revealed the relative impotence of all of the above! But, we also know this: the Lord God is a Rock, "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17, KJV) Peace flows out of the certainty that He is able to care for us through each of the change points of our lives. Many Believers have not fully committed themselves to God because, to be honest, they do not REALLY trust Him.
I remember when I thought my Dad was bigger than life. When I was 4 or 5, I was convinced that Dad knew everything and could defeat any foe, any time, anywhere. When I was afraid, if Dad showed up, my fear evaporated immediately. Then, in adolescence, I discovered that he was not Superman. I began to understand that he, too, was sometimes afraid or uncertain. Things happened that he could not control regardless of his wisdom or strength. As an adult, I loved old Dad, but there were no illusions that he was a god.
Have you similarly 'matured' past child-like trust in your Heavenly Father?  When we are 'new' in faith, we trust Him unquestioningly. With time, we go through experience when He seems distant. He disappoints us by apparently refusing to answer our prayers, at least in the way we want them answered. Such moments can cause us to lose faith in His ability to handle our lives and fear grows. Some of us become even more 'religious' thinking that IF we just do more to earn His gracious favor, we can 'make' Him do what we want Him to do.

The truth is that He is God - unchanging, faithful, omnipotent, omniscient, and loving. He is worthy of our child-like faith. With study of the Scripture and meditation on His wonderful works, elevate your understanding of who He is and what He does. A higher view of God, a revelation of His majesty, will deepen your faith. You will find a bedrock foundation of trust to keep you steady until the day when His kingdom is fully revealed on Earth. Until then, keep faith strong and make the choice to trust.

Lynn DeShazo captures the doubting, distressed Believer's confession perfectly in her great worship song --

Be Magnified.

I have made You too small in my eyes; O Lord, forgive me;
And I have believed in a lie that You were unable to help me.
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong,
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong;
And in my eyes and with my song,
O Lord, be magnified, O Lord, be magnified.

I have leaned on the wisdom of men, O Lord, forgive me;
And I have responded to them instead of Your light and Your mercy.
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong,
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong;
And in my eyes and with my song,
O Lord, be magnified, O Lord, be magnified.

Be magnified, O Lord,You are highly exalted;
And there is nothing You can't do,
O Lord, my eyes are on You.
Be magnified, O Lord, Be magnified.

© 1991 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055

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(This Coffee Break is one from the archives that encouraged me much and that I needed to 'relearn' today. Hope it blesses and encourages you, too!)