Sometimes we’re so used to the storm that when we discover the peace of Jesus, it’s such a foreign feeling that it so distances us from our troubles to the point that we don’t recognise who we are and we end up trying brush it away!
Maybe on paper this sounds bizarre! But I know the struggle of understanding God’s wonderful, yet upside down Kingdom. When you live in a society where God’s Word isn’t the first turning point, wholeheartedly believing His Words are true and applicable in the 21st century can be difficult to establish in our hearts ~ and minds.
I wrote a little about this last time I posted but I've got it on my heart to share a few more thoughts about it...
I heard a wonderful quote from a friend who described how the progression of sin (any sin) begins with a thought that becomes an action which holds the potential to develop into a habit.
If we’re following Jesus, we’ll rarely deliberately choose to sin, but we will be tempted to do things the way the world does.... And if you’ve been out in the world for long enough, you’ll know that this isn’t how God wants us to live.
The way of the world is corrupted and painful, it’s filled with quick fixes and easy loopholes, more way to earn more money or another fad that promises fulfilment…
And just because everyone else is doing it, the temptation to follow the crowd is tangible. And before too long, we can find ourselves walking in pathways of sin without deliberately “choosing” it.
And this is when the storms overcomes us because we are not walking alongside the Lord.
But the beautiful thing about God’s upside down Kingdom is that He makes His love available at every turn, the opportunities to encounter His redemptive grace chases us down every single day and if we look up above the mess, we can be overwhelmed with the promises of His Spirit in us and with us.
When the storms of life hit us when we’ve been following the ways of the world, we are beaten, destroyed, pulled down, our hopes are shredded and we flail in trying to catch our breath. We see the hustle culture around us, we see the striving and the restless pursuit of 'greatness' and fame and we try bury our heads and fight our way through the storm... keep calm and carry on right?
Maybe not!
When you have realised the beauty of doing away with the temptations of living like the world and you see Jesus's hand held out to catch you every time you fall. The hand that reaches without condemnation, without unforgiveness, without reprimand....
You are inspired to renew your thoughts to walk on the waters of the storm and not sink!
You begin to thrive in the storm because you know that your testimony will bring Him glory!
You find that you can get up much easier because of the rock you are standing on!
The storm carries on, but it doesn't harm you.
The storm carries on, but you find PEACE!
It's an interesting space to be in because it's SO different to the approach of the world around us. It can appear that we are passive in our reaction to the troubles we face or that we're 'not strong enough for the fight'... the world won’t understand why you can live in the peace when your world is falling down. But that’s ok, because you don’t have to explain it. You just have to live out of the abundance of the Lord for them to see the light and want the same.
This is the Peace beyond understanding! It needs no explanation because it is only discovered when your desire for control and understanding is released and you open your hands to the Lord's Will to be done!
We need to learn the courage to listen to God’s voice and following it even when nobody else is. Because when the storms come (and they will come~even Jesus said so), you are planted in His foundation. And remember, it all begins in your thoughts... Keeping your mind on things above will sow the seeds of a harvest of Kingdom peace!
Don't be distracted by the world telling us that this is all 'wishful thinking'... Know that if Jesus could sleep in the boat during the storm, you can too because His Spirit lives within you!
His peace opens the door for us to praise Him, to experience joy in His comfort. To lean on Godly community, to keep moving forward in strength. All while the storm rages.
Here are a few verses to meditate on...
(John 14vs27 NIV)
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."(Mark 4vs38~41 NIV)
"Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”(Philippians 4vs7 NLT)
"Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."(Romans 12vs2 NIV)
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
~ X ~
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