UNTROUBLED: PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS
"2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light." Genesis 1:2-3.
The earth was an empty place! Chaos was everywhere Or as one translation puts it, the earth was a total wasteland. It was filled with darkness. And in the darkness, the Spirit of God moved to prepare for God's creative work. The Lord is a Creator! God is a God of order! For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God." Hebrews 3:4. God took a mess of chaos and made it orderly. From ugliness emerged beauty. Chaos is replaced by order. Purpose take the place of emptiness. God transformed darkness into light.
Are things falling apart around you? Life rarely turns out the way we’ve planned. We all have those times when life seems to take an unexpected turn and we wonder what to do. Perhaps there is a problem in your relationship? Are you facing difficulties at work or is it unemployment? Do you have a health issue? Are you experiencing a crisis in your ministry, business, or family? There's no cause for alarm. You're not alone! The Holy Spirit is present with you. Your life may be without purpose, but God's there to turn it around. He'll never leave you or forsake you. So be conscious of His presence everyday! The presence of God gives us inward peace and joy even though our external circumstances may be turbulent. Be still and place your hope in Him.
"1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah" Psalm 46:1-3.
The ancient cities were often protected by large surrounding walls and imposing gates. Inside the walls was peace and a safe atmosphere where commerce could thrive. God is our fortress! The Lord is our refuge. He is the constant and consistent place of refuge and safety in the times of trouble. "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. There is not a promise in the Bible that says we'll be free from troubles. Yet those whose confidence is in the Lord have nothing to be afraid of. Fear is a faith killer! When a believer is afraid, it means he does not trust God enough to bring him or her out of trouble. To act on our fear is to act as though the problem is bigger than the Almighty God. But the truth is, there is nothing too big for Him.
“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.......” 1 Corinthians 14:33.
The Online Dictionary defines chaos as, “A condition or place of great disorder or confusion.” It is a state of havoc. Chaos is discord. It is a state of anarchy and lawlessness. Chaos is a state of mess. It is mayhem. Chaos is disruption. It is a state of disturbance. Chaos is turbulence. It is a state of pandemonium. Nothing flourishes in a state of chaos. Chaos takes away your joy and peace of mind. But God is a God of order and not chaos.
PERFECT PEACE:
"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3.
Everyone desires peace. We want peace in our mind, marriage, business, circumstances and ministry. But God has something much better for us! His agenda is for us to experience His perfect peace everyday.
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27.
The world defines peace as 'a concept of friendship and harmony in the absence of strife, hostility and attack.' It is a lack of conflict. Peace is the handshake between two enemies. It is the laying down of arms. Peace is the lack of trouble. It is freedom from the fear of violence between individuals or groups. So human peace is based on feelings and circumstances! It is conditional upon the fulfillment of a certain assumption. Worldly peace is not permanent! In every generation, there has always been treaties made to hopefully ensure world peace, yet so many times these treaties are violated and short lived. But God has a better alternative.
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom which means 'calm, tranquility, serenity, harmony, wholeness, completeness, and wellness.' Shalom is an inner sense of contentment and quietness, regardless of the circumstances. Perfect peace is internal stability! You may be in the midst of trouble and still have peace. It is irrelevant to the chaos around. Perfect peace is calmness and reassurance in the midst of conflict. Perfect peace is not the absence of a storm but the ability to remain calm in spite of the hopeless situation. It is the calm of mind and heart that isn’t shaken by adversity. Perfect peace is to be joyful in the midst of unhappiness. It is not a trouble-free life; perfect peace is serene in the midst of difficulties. Perfect peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7. So, how can we stay calm when there seems to be turmoil all around? In a broken world,, how can we find stability? How do you keep calm when things aren’t going the way you want them to?
1. Seek peace with God.
Sin makes us enemies of God but the blood of the righteousness of Christ brings us peace with Him. It is therefore important that we seek peace with God. Are you still living in sin? Have you encountered the Lord Jesus? Are you saved and living a life pleasing to God? Perfect peace begins when we enter into relationship with God through Christ. So fix your broken relationship with God first. Proverb 16:7.
2. Remember the goodness of the Lord.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:" Psalm 103:2.
God knows our tendency to forget. That is why He is adamant that we should be intentional about remembering His goodness. It’s good to look back and praise God for His presence, power, provision, and the people He has placed in our life. Forgetting leads to unbelief and discouragement. Remembering helps us overcome fear. It fuels thanksgiving, praise and worship. Spend time daily reflecting on God’s goodness. Psalm 77:11-12.
3. Take it to God in prayer.
Until you cast all your burdens on the Lord, you may not know perfect peace. Prayer will stay your mind on God and fill your thoughts with His peace. "In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears." Psalm 18:6. Take everything to God in prayers, pray without ceasing and let the peace of God reign in your heart. Colossians 3:15.
4. Read and Meditate on the Word of God.
God wants us to fill our hearts constantly with His Word. When a crisis comes up, He wants His Word to be so deeply rooted and firmly established in our hearts that we'll automatically react to what His Word says instead of reacting with fear. Psalm 112:6-8. Turn to the Scriptures for fresh spiritual nourishment each day.
5. Guard your heart.
We often relinquish the peace that God has given us by the words that we allow to come out of our mouths when we are under stress. So control your tongue! You'll never enjoy perfect peace unless you learn to control it. In other to control your tongue you need to guard what goes into your heart and what you believe in. The information you feed into your mind determines what you believe. So if your heart is troubled, it means you're looking at, and feeding in, the wrong information. If your heart is full of worry, fear and doubt, in the times of crisis, it will bring forth words of defeat. If your heart is full of the Word, your tongue will constantly speak it.
6. Give thanks.
A lifestyle of continuous thanksgiving, praise and worship keeps us in perfect peace. Paul and Silas had peace in the prison; they gave thanks to God at the midnight season of their lives. Although this may be the last thing you feel like doing in times of yet it's what God require of us. You can keep a bright outlook in the midst of crisis. You can have peace when there's trouble and chaos all around. The joy of the Lord is your strength.
7. Win the battle over worry.
Worry is the chief robber of peace. It prevents you from lying down and sleeping in peace at night. So whenever a troubling thought shows up in your mind, pray about it. Give it to God, and step forward in faith as He leads you. Ask Him to exchange your worries for peace. Don’t let your worries grow into fear.
8. Place your trust in God.
Even when you don’t understand why He has allowed certain challenges, you can trust His love and purpose. Shift your focus away from your circumstances. God is bigger than your challenges and is able to help you.
9. Get rid of bitterness.
Refuse to hold onto anger and resentment. Flush out the poison of bitterness. Choose to forgive as an act of your will, despite your feelings. Trust God to bring about justice rather than wasting your time and energy trying to get revenge. A vengeful attitude is a cancer of the mind. It destroys joy and peace. Be willing to pray for the people you’re forgiving, and act in love toward them. Enjoy the freedom that forgiveness gives.
11. Don't give up!
Remember that God is not through with you yet. Wait on God to complete His good work in your life. Keep placing your hope in God and finding your strength in Him.
12. Be still.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10. The original Hebrew word used for being still is Raphah. It means to stop striving, to cause yourself to let go, to willingly submit ourselves to God and his control, surrender to God, to stop worrying, to relax or to be quiet. When we're still with God we become small, and He becomes big. We begin to put our trust in Him. When we're still God's gentle whispers are heard. We will have perfect peace of mind when we stop striving.
"I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope." Psalm 16:8-9.
In this world we will have troubles. You may be in a situation right now where everything around you seems to be falling apart. Maybe it is your ministry, career, health, or business. Perhaps there’s a crisis within your family. Sometimes the challenges of life shakes us off balance, blowing us to and fro in ways that we never expected. But God doesn’t want us to live stressed out! He wants us to live a life of rest and peace. It's the will of God that we stand firm in faith and unshaken in the storms of life. We should not be afraid, agitated, and intimidated when trouble comes. God is our Rock and Refuge! He is our Strength and Shield! With Him by our side, we'll not be shaken. So stand firm, be still and at peace! When you're at peace, you're displaying your unconditional faith in God. If you focus on Him, you won't be moved by circumstances. The mind that is stayed on God is always calm. You'll be renew and refreshed! When you release your burdens to the Lord, you'll find rest for your weary soul. When you focus your mind on God, you'll experience His perfect peace.
"10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you." Isaiah 54:10.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Father, thank You for always being with me in the times of trouble, in Jesus name.
2. O Lord, teach me how to find Your presence in the midst of uncertainty, in Jesus name.
3. Father, help me to turn away from my circumstances and enable me to be still, in Jesus name.
4. O Lord, help me to stay steadfast in my faith, in Jesus name.
5. I will not allow my heart to be troubled, but I will trust in God, in Jesus name.
6. O Lord, help me to stand firm. Help my heart not to be troubled, in Jesus name.
7. Thank You, Lord, for answering my prayers.
