And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire
continually) in your hearts (deciding and settling with finality all
questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state) to which as
(members of Christ's) one body you were also called (to live). And be
thankful (appreciative), (giving praise to God always).
~ Colossians 3:15
Letting the peace of God rule in your heart - sometimes that seems so hard to
do in today's world, surrounded as we are by so much stress and noise. How
can we find time away from the struggles of daily life to allow God to work
in our hearts so that we can receive His peace? It's hard to do, and I fail
quite often.
And yet, with His unfailing love, He comes to me once again, asking me to
give Him the burden of my daily cares and sorrows, to let Him work in my life
to bring about His will, to trust Him. I think it all comes down to trusting
Him. Trust is so hard to do at times - and trusting God, who I've never
seen, is even harder than trusting a person I have seen.
But I've found that when I choose to trust Him, His peace is the natural
result, and I find my rest in Him. So it seems it comes down to an act of
the will for me - not waiting to feel His peace in my heart, and worrying
that it's not there, but choosing to trust Him despite the worry and stress
in my life, and letting Him carry me through the trials I'm facing. When I
do that, His peace enters my heart, sometimes quietly, so that I don't even
notice it at first. But it does come, and when it's there, I can rest in
Him, knowing that His will for me is good, and that He will protect me in the
midst of the storm.
Dear Lord, thank You so much that You are faithful to us, even when we are
faithless. Thank You that Your love and mercy don't depend on what we do or
don't do, but they depend on our acceptance of the sacrifice of Your Son on
the cross, and accepting Him as our Savior. Fill us with Your peace today in
the midst of the turmoil around us - let us be harbors of refuge to those in
need, we pray.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
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