Peace Always
Does your peace depend on your perspective?
Verse of the Day
“May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”
Today’s Devotional
This is Paul’s salutation, his farewell, in this letter to the Thessalonian church. They had been dealing with persecution, so it makes sense that he closes with prayers for peace. Having peace in the middle of trials is important. But it can be hard to attain.
God is the Lord of peace. A lord is one who has power and authority over something. Therefore God has power and authority over peace. He doles it out. It comes from him. So any time you have had peace about something, that peace came directly from God. Is it possible, though, that the Lord offers peace as a gift for us and we do not accept that gift? For me, that answer is sometimes yes. Because sometimes it is easier to focus on the problems I am facing instead of the God that I serve. My perspective is off. Many times I need time alone to allow God to shift my perspective back to Him and to then receive His peace.
I had a conversation this morning with someone who was really struggling. From my perspective, she is doing everything right that is within her power to do. She is active where she needs to be active, and she is waiting for answers that she does not yet have. Yet she is miserable. She said that she feels like she is doing something wrong, or that she is missing something. In my opinion, she is focusing on her self-doubt instead of the God who continues to show up and help her. She is looking at and believing the lies. God is offering her peace, and she has yet to accept the gift. Do you ever do that?
Notice that the verse also says “always and in every way”. So no matter what I am facing, peace is always available. If I choose to accept it. If I choose to focus on God and my trust in him. And why do we trust him? Because the Lord is always with us. Whether I feel that or not. Just this morning- during an hour of solitude- I poured my heart out to God in my journal. My emotions were at war with the truth of God’s love for me. So I asked God to remind me of His presence. I asked to be filled with the joy of His presence. I asked to be reminded of His love for me. My emotions are still a little off, but God has given me His peace. He has given me several reminders of His love for me. I simply can’t thank His willingness to love me and give me His peace. Today, I choose to accept it.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
In your life today, how can you shift your focus away from any problems you are facing and toward God and the peace that He offers?
Are you doing everything that is within your power to do today?
How can you accept God’s gift of peace today?
Write out a prayer to God asking Him to remind you of His live for you.