When
worldly hostility bombards us, our heart is tempted to faint within us. We have
the option of sharing this pain, frustration, and sorrow on a human level with
friends and family. They, however, will only sympathize with, or
"sermonize" to us about our feelings.
Our
relationship with God gives us peace like a river in our soul - more potent
than any peace that our earthly existence can offer. Only in the still, small
place within our spirit can we find true empathy and solace from the God who
loves us more than He loves Himself (John 3:16-18).
When
we enter this "inner closet," we strip away all outer clutter. We
empty our self of our self-centered thoughts and desires, and we focus solely
on the voice of our Beloved God. We bask in the rays of His comfort and
direction.
When
we leave our prayer closet and return to the life to which God called us, we
have renewed power to meet the needs of those He sends our way. We can forgive,
we can nurture, we can empathize, and we can "wait on tables"–
minister to others.
Living
from this quiet place allows us to face the disappointments and discouragements
of life, and to change our focus, which helps us to correct our direction and
goals in life to those God prearranged for us (Ephesians 2:10).
Once
we completely surrender all of our cares to Him, His peace, which passes all
human understanding, keeps our heart and mind stable through Christ Jesus
(Philippians 4:5-7). We mature in our faith and increase our intimacy with the
Trinity within us.
Prayer:
Father
God, too often people tend to over-analyze and over-think things, which causes
anxiety. If we focus on tomorrow, we will miss the beauty of what You give us
today. The trauma of the past and the fear of the future have no place in this
present moment, which You give to us.
Otherwise,
we may miss the blessings that You have in store for us. Once You heal our
soul, we do not feel shame for the past, and we have few worries about the
future. We are safe and secure in Your eternal arms in this present moment,
even if the circumstances around us are full of turmoil and conflict.
Thought
for the Day:
Peace
comes as we are fully present in the moment and as we observe just what is in
front of us; God exhorts us not to be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by the power of prayer along with an attitude of gratitude, we can present our
requests to God, and we will reign victoriously over every trial.
-
Proverbs 16:3
