By Deidre
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Happy Wellness Wednesday! For me, spiritual refreshment comes from spending time in the presence of our Heavenly Father, the Lord of peace. In His presence, not only are we reminded of His promises, but we receive peace that can’t be found anywhere else. This allows us to operate from a place of peace and gentleness. It is critical that we prioritize the time and space to receive from Him. But maintaining your peace takes practice! Let’s talk about it…
In this day and age, you don't have to look far for things that cause anxiety and worry in our lives. Even in the midst of chaos, we have been promised peace. We must operate from that truth, even when life’s circumstances say otherwise. Carrying His perfect peace will make it easier to respond lovingly to difficult situations and people, even when our flesh wants to do the opposite. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 clearly states that the Lord of peace Himself gives you peace at all times and in every way.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 6-7)
This is one of my favorite Scriptures! I literally apply it when I feel anxiety and worry rising up in my life. I’ll use a real example to illustrate what I mean. There was an issue brewing at work that was causing me some angst to the point I became restless. I needed to surrender it to Him. Going back to this Scripture, I spoke and commanded my soul to be anxious for nothing. Then I began to thank the Father for how much He cares for me and all things concerning me, even this issue at my job. I also thanked Him for taking care of the issue so I wouldn’t have to deal with it (y’all, I was done!). Then I proceeded to make specific requests, things I wanted to happen that I thought might address the issue. Afterwards, I had peace about it and eventually went to sleep (see Psalm 4:8). That morning, there was an email waiting in my inbox that addressed several of the requests I had made known to God the night before. The email was sent in the early morning hours while I was still sleep. Coincidence? No ma’am! He was taking care of my concern while I rested in the peace of God! We can cast all our anxiety on Him simply because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Here’s what gets me…He said do this “in everything”, so it doesn’t just apply to certain situations that we feel we can’t handle on our own. Our Father desires to give us peace in all things!
In addition to having consistent time with the Father, I encourage you to take advantage of every opportunity throughout your day to step away from the world and plug into what He wants to share with you. It can be the simplest of things. Instead of scrolling through social media while you are waiting in the parent pick-up line at your child’s school, spend time connecting with Him. During your work break, sit in your car quietly and meditate on His word and His goodness. Peace is freely ours and we are to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, since as members of one Body we were called to peace (Colossians 3:15). He has promised His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Let's receive it!
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