Wake up. Drink coffee. Spend 5 minutes with God. Rush to get ready. Handle day’s work or home activities. Drive. Pay bills. Have some difficult conversations. Think about lunch. Think about life. Think about money. Dinner. TV. Think about health. Think about the future. Brush teeth. Think about family. Think about worries. Think about fears. Sleep. Wake up. Repeat.
It is no wonder that we don’t feel “lasting peace”. Life feels like a rat race that never ends. And, our minds are like a gerbil that goes round and round and round in a wheel that is constantly spinning.
Day after day, we hurry hoping that something changes. Hoping that maybe we will get enough, buy enough or eat enough, to make ourselves feel enough. But, no matter how much we consume, life never seems to satisfy.
Isn’t there more than this frustrating cycle? Didn’t God intend for us to have lasting peace, more joy and more purpose?
The answer is yes. He has so much more for us than worried rushed peace-less living.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. (Phil. 4:8)
If we really want lasting peace, we are wise to think about what we are thinking about.
Our thought processes determine our feelings and our actions. If we are worrying, fearing and consumed with things of this world, we will feel fearful. We will lack lasting peace. If we are focused on God’s truth, what is noble, what is right by his eyes, things that are pure and lovely and admirable, we will embrace lasting peace. We will live lasting peace.
It is no wonder that God tells us how to think and then he follows it up with “…practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil. 4:9)
God calls on us to be obedient in our thoughts. Not perfect, but obedient. When we focus on what he values, he blesses us with himself and his presence. We don’t need to reach for some new thing to fill us with peace or contentment. We need only to reach up to him. God comes as the answer in our quest for lasting peace. His requirement? That we trust him at his word. That we focus our minds. That we think and dwell on things that are uplifting and true.
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3)
When we obey, we have a chance to witness God’s faithfulness. He will come and grant us lasting peace in our hearts. He will make himself at home within our mind because we have prepared it as holy ground for Him to reside. As a result, we will find a place of safety, a place of refuge, a place of escape – as we sit in his presence.
He will refresh us in him. This is true and lasting peace.
God is the ultimate peacemaker. This is who He is.
When the rat race has you running on empty, welcome him into your mind and let him fill you with his peace – that transcends all understanding.