Living GRACE-fully

“I have told you this so that you may have peace in me.  In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world” John 16:33

What is Peace?  Peace is an inner state of being or calm. 

With all that is going on in the world today between Covid 19, civil unrest and anger, upheaval in our government, fear of what the future will look like, censorship and political arguments all over social media, it is so incredibly hard to find peace.  I am writing this as much for myself as for you in the hope that it will help even one person find peace in this crazy, off it’s rocker world we are living in.

I wake up every morning and spend 30-60 minutes in prayer.  Most of the time, I find abundant peace in that quiet time with God…But then, as the day goes on, things happen around me that steal that peace from me. 

Why can’t I hold onto that peace?  Some days I can, but lately with all that is going on, it is becoming more and more difficult. 

I trust God, as you do too, I am sure.  I need to trust Him more. 

He is fully aware of all.

He knows the plan. 

He knows what will happen. 

He knows that in the end HE WINS. 

We know that too, because He tells us in John that He has “conquered the world”.  It is still hard to go through the process.  We don’t like to suffer, but we will.  We all will at times. 

God allows bad things to happen because He has given us free will.  With this amazing gift of free will, we have the choice to either do good or to do evil.  The latter is what ultimately causes bad things to happen.  It is our fault (humanity’s).  All of our’s.  Your’s and mine.  We are all fallen.

We are the ones that make the mess. He is the one that gives us the grace to find the path to clean it up. 

That is what we need now, His grace, His guidance.

 We have to seek Him and ask for it.  When we feel trapped and ask ‘What can we do?’, THAT is what we can do.  There is NO other way.

God is our helper and only in Him we find our hope.  He loves us more intensely than we can ever imagine.  He loves you with an everlasting love.  There is nothing we can do to separate ourselves from that love. 

He is the beginning and the end and our destination is greater than this world. 

There have been terrible things that have happened throughout time and God ALWAYS brings about good from it.  “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

The most terrible event of all time, resulted in the greatest good of all time.  That being the crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection and destruction of sin, which gave us the greatest gift of salvation.

Reflecting on this gift the other day during my prayer time, I was reminded of the turmoil that the disciples faced, particularly Peter.  Peter’s peace was of course stolen from him when Jesus was arrested.  Peter was lost, did not know what to do and was terrified.  His first response was anger as he cut off the centurion’s ear when they came to arrest Jesus.  His second response was fear as he denied Jesus three times.  His third response, I would imagine, was confusion as they tried to figure out what to do next.  And finally, came repentance for his denial, then joy, peace and understanding in the resurrection of Jesus and seeing that He was in charge the whole time and that these things had to take place for this greater good to be accomplished.  Do you see the parallels today? The range of emotions that we experience are the same, aren’t they?  It is ok to feel these things.  We are human.

What does adversity or suffering do to your faith?  Does it make it stronger or do you find it harder to trust?  Peter was just as human as we are and obviously lost his trust in God as He denied Him 3 times. And, wow, Jesus still chose Peter to lead His church. 

He still chooses you too for your mission or purpose that He created you for, to live at this exact time, just as God chose Peter to live at that time.

 And, yes, every single one of us was created for a purpose according to God’s plan.  Some big, some small, but all equal in God’s eyes. 

Have peace knowing that God placed you in this time intentionally. 

Have peace knowing that He wins! 

Have peace knowing that He is walking with each of us.  

Even when we mess up and lose our focus on what is right and good, He still calls us to our purpose.

“What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

YOUR time is now. 

Pray for guidance, pray for wisdom, pray for your enemies, trust in the Lord and give your worries, fears and anxieties to Him.  THERE you will find peace.

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.”  Philippians 4:6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27