Peace and Rest in the Storm

Does peace ever feel elusive? Have you ever chased after it, only to have it remain just out of reach. Anxiety is something that I have battled with for many years. At times it has been so bad that I've had to stay home from work because of physically bad I felt. It seemed no matter what I did or how much I prayed the anxiety wouldn't go away. One day I was walking across the apartment complex where I worked at the time. The sense of fear that seemed to be my constant shadow weighed heavily upon me. All of a sudden, the Lord spoke to my spirit. I heard, "Fear not, I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine." With those words came an immediate peace. A couple of days later I was at a women's bible study and that very verse was one that we went over. I had never memorized that verse, but God spoke that truth to my very soul when it was needed most.

You may be facing uncertainty or struggling with anxiety yourself. Maybe your life feels out of control, and you don't know what to do. Maybe someone you love is battling a terminal illness, or you have had to say goodbye to someone you hold dear. I would encourage you to sit and be still before the Lord. Let Him be God and trust that His peace will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. You see, me trying to fix it never worked, at least not for long. It is when I turned to the Lord and stopped striving that His peace flooded my soul. He loves you and is waiting for you to sit at His feet and rest in His love.

"But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." Isaiah 43:1

Father God,

Please be with my dear friend on the other side of this screen. Please strengthen and encourage them when the storms of life seek to pull them under. Help them to lay aside their fears and simply rest in your presence, allowing your love and peace to flood their souls. Be with them in the week to come and may they find the joy that comes from knowing you.

In Jesus' precious name,

Amen