Still the storm? Still my soul?

I let the expectations of others and demands of myself lead me to this conclusion, from time to time. "You must produce results now!" Naturally, there is just one result - stress on top of stress.  In a time of confession and awareness this morning, I sensed the Holy Spirit’s whisper,  “Jerry, ‘Let the peace of Christ rule your heart... live in peace... be thankful!’ " (Colossians 3;15) Don't you love it when God hands you a prescription for spiritual health? He reminds me that I have a choice in how I respond to the pressure of life, and urges me to choose to receive His peace.  Peace can be an elusive quality. Pressures, conflicts, chaos, misunderstandings, disappointments;   all conspire to give us knotted muscles, furrowed brows, and restless hearts. From there is it a short trip to anger and even disillusionment.  Do you think that peace is circumstantial- coming from a change of place,  position, or greater resources?  True peace transcends our present situation!  Peace is not discovered, it grows from deep faith. It is a gift from our Abba. 

"The LORD is peace." Raiders overpowered God’s people driving them into the hills where they hid in caves. Desperation was everywhere! Gideon, who was a farmer, needed to feed his family in spite of the raids and attacks in Israel. So he ventured from the caves, down to the fields. Judges 6 tells that he was hiding out near a winepress, threshing grain, fearing for his life. Suddenly he is aware of a Presence and a voice! "The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, "Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!" {Judges 6:12 NLT} Gideon knew he was no “mighty hero!”   There he was hiding out desperate to avoid detection at that very moment.  “Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." (Judges 6:15, NIV) He goes further and questions God's messenger about the hard times that his people are experiencing. But, when he saw the evidence of God's power and received the promise of God with faith, Gideon's heart changed. "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!" But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die." So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. (Yahweh Shalom)" {Judges 6:22-24 NIV}

 "Shalom" means more than the absence of conflict.  The Hebrew word, “shalom” includes wholeness, restfulness, and satisfaction. That quality of life is possible in any situation. The only requirement is a willingness to choose to live in the Presence of God. His Spirit produces serenity.   His gift of peace allows us to rise above situations that cause others to be full of fear or to fall apart.  “Lord, teach me to live in your holy ‘shalom,’  that I would choose to hide myself in Him, refusing to allow life's circumstances to steal His gift.  I am a slow learner in this area.  Too often I attempt to fix things and people by imposing a 'peace' of my own design.  Invariably, things get worse! When I accept His offer of peace patiently waiting to receive His wisdom, peace follows. Here’s the paradox - the situation usually remains exactly the same, but I am changed.

God does not ask us to live in a Zen-like detachment. Nor does He want us to run away from life or escape into denial. He wants us to be partners with Him to bring order to chaos, healing to the broken, and the defeat of evil wherever it makes its ugliness apparent – by allowing His grace to flow through us.  How did Jesus say it?  “Out of you will flow rivers of living water.” We can exhausted, yet serene! He stands alongside of us to steady us, to quiet our fear.  To be honest with you, it’s much easier to write than to live. Like Jesus’ disciples that stormy day on the Sea of Galilee, I want to scream, “Lord, don’t you care that we’re drowning?”  He does care.  Sometimes He stills the storm. Sometimes He stills my soul in the middle of the storm.

Today, before you engage with life's challenges, present yourself to your heavenly Abba. Meditate on His Word and give that problem, person, or pressure to Him. Invite the Spirit to impart holy ‘shalom’ to your soul.  Breathe a prayer for peace.  Here’s the word from the Word:  "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 (NIV)

_________________

In the presence of Your infinite might,
I'm so small and frail and weak;
When I see Your pow'r and wisdom, Lord,
I have no words left to speak.

And I cry holy, holy, holy God,
How awesome is Your name,
Holy, holy, holy God,
How majestic is Your reign;
And I am changed in the presence of a holy God.

In the presence of Your glory,
All my crowns lie in the dust;
You are righteous in Your judgments, Lord,
You are faithful, true, and just.

And I cry holy, holy, holy God,
How awesome is Your name,
Holy, holy, holy God,
How majestic is Your reign;
And I am changed in the presence of a holy God.

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