Peace

Dear readers, I thought the following teaching would be approriate for all of you at this time. It was sent to me by Tom Brazel our international director.

Recently Chris Leidlein brought the devotional at our weekly EF Staff devotions. It was an excellent encouragement regarding the maintaining of personal peace in the midst of stress, pressure, and even, chaos. Chris stated, “The enemy of our souls wants to rob us of our peace. If he (our enemy) can get us to operate outside of the peace of God, then he can use us to cause others to lose their peace as well. If he can do this, he wins!


Chris presented four simple points to help us maintain our peace. I wanted to share them with you, because I know that there is pressure and stress all around you, and this can be helpful.

1) Remember who is ultimately in charge. (Let go of carnal striving.)


1 Sam 2:6-9 “The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and He has set the world upon them. He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. For by strength no man shall prevail.”


When we forget that the Lord is the One Who watches over His word to perform it; when we forget that the Lord will perfect that which concerns us; when we forget that the Lord is our rock, fortress, strength and defender, we must go to the fallback position of self-defense, self-preservation, and self-accomplishment. This is a very stressful position.


2) Keep an eternal perspective. (Get out of the smallness of your own mind.)


Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”


We do not see things the way that God sees them, unless He reveals Himself to us. We cannot know the mind of God unless He reveals His mind to us. Knowing His thoughts on something changes our behavior and our attitude regarding that situation.


3) Know that you are not alone.


Heb 13:5-6 “…for He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”
We all know the feeling of being alone and isolated. But, in faith, we can determine to trust that He will be with us in the midst of trial, trouble and difficulty. Receiving “grace of grace” is often where we must begin. I have found that one of the most useful prayers I can pray is, “Lord, help me.”
4) Do what you can – then leave the results with the Lord.
Ps 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God…”
Eph 6:13 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
There are positive and constructive things that we can do in every circumstance and these ought to be done. However, once you have done all there is to do, it is time to stand. You don’t have to push your way through; you need to stand, and trust Him to bring you through to His desired end.

I doubt that I am the only one who is tempted to let the pressures of life and ministry steal my peace. I doubt that I am the only one among us who can become “stressed out.” God’s answer to stress is faith in Him. Faith that He is in control, so that I don’t have to be. Faith in God’s eternal perspective regarding everything, even things in temporal settings. Faith that I am not alone, ever. He is always with me. And faith that after I have done all I can do, God will bring me through.


If you’re feeling the stress of ministry, I would encourage you to put this note down, and simply pray, acknowledging to the Lord that you know He is in control, acknowledging that everything that is happening has an eternal consequence, and acknowledging and welcoming His abiding presence, knowing that He will bring the victory.