The Secret To Peace

If I could describe how much I have learned through my difficult moments of life, I would share that it didn’t start out that way. I am like everybody else. I want control. I want to have everything go my way, but life is not like that. Life doesn’t always appear fair, or dare I say that God doesn’t always appear fair.

But God is more than fair, he is gracious and merciful. Yesterday, during my daily Bible reading, I came upon these words: “The Lord is at hand.” For whatever reason, it gripped me. Now I have read that scripture over and over again, but yesterday it gripped me because following those words it said: “Be anxious for nothing”.

That’s the secret! That’s the key to peace. God is at hand! He is here. He is near.  He sees and is able to deliver me or allow me to bear the burden by giving me his unsurpassable peace.

How do I obtain it? I get it by rejoicing in who God is, in praying to him, thanking him, casting my cares upon him, letting him know my desires, my requests. Why, because he doesn’t know? No, because he desires that I look to him, depend and wait on him, for he is able, he is the God of the universe that controls all things.

He is my Father. He set his love upon me by shedding the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ in my heart.

The secret to peace is trusting God.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be |anxious| for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 KJV

Non-Christians should be able to see that we are not up in arms about anything, we shouldn’t be flailing about as if we are drowning, because we know whose we are, and that he is in control.

I say this even now, as there are situations in my life that have my hands tied. Believe me, they need to be tied. I am left to look to him. I cannot rescue. I cannot save. I can only look to him. I know that he knows and sees, and that he knows the desires of my heart because I have cried out to him, and now I must trust him, wait on him, to move and do in his time, and in his way.

There is the secret to peace, in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, making my requests made known to God, and his peace will keep me.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26:3 KJV

So, whatever your circumstances may be,  know that the Lord is at hand. There is no need to fret or panic. Go to the peace giver.

“The LORD is |near| unto all those who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.” Psalm 145:18 KJV