Staying in peace

Peace. What does it mean? The definition of peace is: freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety an obsession, etc. tranquility, serenity. What your ideal situation be like if you were in total peace? What does that mean for you? For me it means a lot! Being in peace means even though my world may be crashing around me, I know whose I am. I know it's just temporary. Our mind and emotions play such an important role when it comes to having true peace. You can't have peace in your heart if you don't have it in your mind. It's easy to say I can do that, and of course it's easy when nothing is going wrong. But what about when it's not? What about when your world is crashing in, and you don't feel like you can go on? This is when our faith comes in. The key is to remember that God is here. He's always with us, even when it feels like He's not. He can keep us in perfect peace in every storm in our life if we let Him. Part of our problem is that we want total control. Relinquishing control means total surrender. Then the peace comes, because no matter what happens, you know that God has already gone before you. 

When Peter walked on the water, he asked Jesus if he could. Jesus said yes, and Peter was doing great at first. But he took his eyes off Jesus when the water got rough, and he got scared and took his eyes off Jesus. He started sinking, he wasn't sure if he could fully put his trust in Him. Peter cried out, He put his hand out and caught him. You see, the wonderful thing about God is even when we don't trust Him completely, He's still there.

God is Jehovah-Shalom - our peace.

John 14:27 (MSG) ~ I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.

Are you ready for 2013?

 

Another year is coming to a close. I have to say that I’m not sad about that. This year has been filled with major hills and valleys. I’m so thankful though that even in the midst of the worst times this year; I never stopped speaking to God. Even when I was mad at Him because I didn’t understand what was happening.  He wasn’t giving me what I wanted when I wanted it. My spiritual growth this year has been quite exceptional. I had a lot of trials and tribulations and wanted to give up countless times. I’ve cried way more than my share of tears. Frustration, discouragement and not being patient held me back quite a bit. God has put many promises in me, some of them a few years ago, and some this year. Well the promises weren’t coming to fruition when I expected them too. So I would get upset and get completely discouraged. What I had to learn and I did the hard way, is that God’s promises are yes and amen, but also that His timing is perfect timing. If God puts a promise in you- He will not go back on His word. Numbers 23:19(NLT) says God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

The problem I had believed that the promises could actually come to pass. Did I trust God enough? The answer was no. I believed in Him and me, but I was having a problem fully trusting Him because it wasn’t happening when I wanted and how I wanted. I let myself believe that God wasn’t listening. Fast forward to now. I look back over the year and in every situation, where I doubted or questioned Hi, once I fully let go and trusted Him- he delivered. It wasn’t always what I wanted, but it was always what was best for me. Because I never quit talking to Him, the Holy Spirit led me and I’ve accomplished things that I didn’t think I could, and things are moving forward. 2013 is going to be an epic and exciting year and I can’t wait! I can’t thank God enough for not giving me everything the minute I asked. I wouldn’t be as strong as I am now. 

Surviving The Storm

Storms are a part of life. We all experience difficulties. How do you react to them? Do you trust God to get your through it? Do you want to go through life without any challenges? You can’t grow without challenges.  The storm is not what takes you out. It’s your reaction to the storm. Some people feel that once you become Christian, you never have issues and your life is a perfect dream come true. That of course is not reality at all. How can you learn to trust God and have faith in him if He gives you everything you want as soon as you ask for it? There’s a reason He doesn’t give you everything. It may not be good for you. It may be dangerous. He might be working some things out within you. If you can’t trust God to know what’s best for you, who can you trust? When I have an issue and I worry and get upset and anxious – I’m telling God that I don’t have enough faith in Him and his Word. That’s really not true, but when our emotions are involved we don’t think about that. All we care about is, I’m not getting what I want and I want it! He knows what’s best for you. Sometimes it’s so much easier to try and control the situation, but what we have to recognize is that God will never leave you or forsake you.  Can anyone else in your life make a promise like that?

Charletta Adams is a writer and Professional  Life Coach. She posts blogs on www.thegodlife.net