If you are anything like me, quick fixes are easy solutions to problems. If there was a “perfect peace” supplement to take once a day, I’d be the first one in line to buy it. I am about to be a mother of four children, I mean wouldn’t that be amazing for moms, to have a “peace” quick pill to just swallow? I know I am not the only one who has countless thoughts when I first wake up, during the day, and when I go to bed. The essential question though this, what is the source of each thought? It is something we should be dwelling on? Is it robbing us of what God has? How much do our thoughts affect our lives? Well I know Dr. Caroline leaf would say that it has such an impact that it has a direct correlation to our health. I recommend her book, “Switch on your brain”, because she discusses the science and medical impact of thoughts on the body. I wrote a chapter on this in my upcoming book about renewing the mind. The mind is so important, that the creator of earth wrote about it throughout the bible. Our physical health is absolutely important as well, but I believe you can eat the healthiest diet in the world and be physically fit, however if you are not healthy in the mind, it can lead to things that exercise and food can’t take care of- suicide, despair, depression, hopelessness, stress, need I move on?
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3)
There is a solution here that God wanted us to know. What does a steadfast mind look like? It’s a mind that is firmly fixed in place,or unwavering. It’s one that knows the truth and doesn’t allow anything else in that could contaminate it. Do we ever do dishes or laundry, and then right away through them in dirt? Of course not, in the same way, we need to keep our thoughts unpolluted, so that satan can’t come in with a foothold and allow stress, anxiety, fear, and worst-case scenarios to fester. The second half of this verse is as equally important as the first, to trust Him. The bible is full of scriptures about trusting Him and what benefits that can have. The most important thing is that in order to trust Him, we have to get to know Him, spend time with Him, and know His heart. It’s not a formula, it’s merely just getting to know the Father Who loves us. It’s one thing to read this scripture as truth, but another thing to know it as truth in our lives. I have been in ministry for about two decades and there are too many believers who practice their faith religiously and not with relationship. They know about their Father, but they don’t k n o w Him. This leads to needing constant prayer from others, insecurity, having fear instead of faith, and many other outcomes of not spending time with Him. We must lay down temporary fixes, like I constantly have to do, and get to know our Father, because in that, the fear and anxiety felts away in His love.
Who doesn’t want “perfect peace” in their lives? Why on earth would someone want chaos? I had a lot of fear, anxiety and mental torment growing up, and even though it still comes back sometimes, I know the keys now to be able to overcome, and that is time with my Father, knowing the word, and trusting in Him in all situations. I crave perfect peace every second of the day, because there is nothing better than it. Perfect peace when my kids are screaming, perfect peace when we get unexpected news, perfect peace when everything around us is swirling. We must also steer clear of sin, because that will definitely rob us as well of peace. We waste so much time and energy allowing the enemy to have a stronghold in our minds and he robs us of that peace. He did for me for over 30 years, but the good news is is that with God, He gives us the ability to overcome. My friend had a prophetic word for me once when I was drowning with fear and anxiety during the lyme disease, it was that I was a superhero and my “superpower” was my mind and with it I could win any battle. At the time I thought she was crazy because my mind was at such a weak place spiritually (mentally), because I never had trained it, I always just allowed the enemy to take a hold and let the enemy have a field day. But over time, and through the years of sickness, I started to take one thought captive at a time and align it with truth, strengthening it, and over time, my body also strengthened and I was healed. I will specifically address this the next blog.
There is a loving Father who created us, Who knows our inmost being and loves us enough to send His son to die for us, can we trust Him today with our lives and possess that peace that surpasses all understanding?
Count me in.