KEEPING OUR PEACE AND JOY

How do we keep our peace and joy when the world seems like it is going haywire all around us? For sure if we listen to the media and additionally, those around us who are in “panic mode,” we can lose our calm very easily.

I have two key verses for today. The first is found in Isaiah.

• Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

It could also be put in second person like this, Because one trusts in the Lord and keeps their mind (focus) stayed on Him, the Lord will keep him in perfect peace.

If we allow our minds and hearts to focus on our problems and all the possibilities that fear can bring, we will not have peace. But if we will refuse frustration, worry and despair by trusting that the same Lord who took care of us when we had smoother sailing, knowing that He will still take care of us on the stormy seas, then we can have amazing peace.

If we need it, the Lord can multiply anything we have, including, bread, milk, fuel and even money. If we have nothing to multiply, He can send us whatever we need by way of someone or something else, even ravens if necessary like He did for Elijah (1 Kings 17:4-6) or the lady and her son the Lord sent Elijah to help at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-16) whose oil and flour never ran out, as long as the drought they were in lasted.

The world and the devil, would love for us to operate from a place of fear and panic. God wants what is best for us and to trust Him. To despair is to doubt God. To despair is an insult to our Father and His provision and puts us in a place of sin. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is trust. With faith (trust) in God, nothing is impossible.

The second key verse for today is found in Nehemiah.

• Nehemiah 8:10b “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

There is strength in the right mindset. There is spiritual strength too. When we choose to trust God, be thankful and praise the Lord, no matter how stormy life’s seas are, we can navigate our way through with peace, strength and the direction of the Lord!

A gloomy heart or fearful heart is not the place to be directed from. But a joyful heart which knows that the Lord knows better than us and trusts Him as our provider, is the greatest place for anyone to be directed from.

We are not mere flesh and blood. Our flesh and blood will pass, but our spirit beings are forever. And that spirit being, our inner man, should be feeding itself on the Word of God and trusting the Holy Spirit who has been given to us, to be our Comforter and Strength. He is God with us.

When we choose to rejoice and trust God, we are in the best place possible!

Why fear as though we have no hope and no God? We are not orphans. If we are born-again, we are the children of God Almighty!

So, let us live our faith. We must never forget this closing verse:

• Matthew 6:31-34 ”So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

This is true when life has smooth or stormy seas, or anywhere in between. If we trust the Lord and seek His kingdom first and seek to do whatever He says is right, He will take care of us.


Eli Cockrell

Suggested additional articles:

Where Does Our Strength As Christians Come From?
Trust In God