How do we find peace with everything life throws at us? Please Pass the Peace shows how bringing God into our negative thoughts allows us to regain our inner calm.
Anyone seen my Peace?
How filled are you with peace these days? If you are filled to the brim with inner calm, please pass the peas, or in this case – peace, down the table to the rest of us! Forgive my play on words. But seriously, few people would deny they long for more peace in their life.
Peace is one of the life-giving topics addressed in the Fruit of the Spirit sermon series at Hosanna Church. My goal is to multiply the effect of this message delivered by Pastor Ryan Alexander. In sharing my on-going journey toward peace, I pray that you too will be drawn closer to Jesus, the source of supernatural peace.
Battling Negative Thoughts
I don’t know what robs you of peace, but for my hubby and me, it’s a myriad of worries surrounding terminal illness. Fear of death, fear of the future, financial fear, and on and on. Fear and anxiety takes on many different forms. Yet the way our circumstances steal our peace is universal. How can we wrestle these circumstances to the ground and regain our peace?
Peace isn’t the absence of negative thoughts, it’s God’s presence in our thoughts.
Ryan Alexander, Hosanna Church
When Pastor Ryan acknowledged that we can’t rid ourselves of negative thoughts, I felt a huge relief. You mean I’m not the only obsessed person who can’t control their negative thoughts? The reality is that we all have negative thoughts that steal our peace. No matter what others say, positive thinking, yoga, or a bottle of wine can’t wipe them out. But what does bringing God into our negative thoughts mean?
Bringing God In
When I get stuck in negative thinking, I turn my thoughts toward God’s past provision, standing on His timeless promises and living in the present.
Provision – Reflecting on how God has provided for me and taken me this far causes me to look differently at current trials. This foundation confirms God’s faithfulness in my life. His past faithfulness is my assurance of His continued provision in my life.
Promises – Jesus brought heaven to earth by dying for our sins. His amazing sacrifice purchased our freedom from sin and delivered the promise of eternal life (John 3:16). As we await eternal life, God promises He will renew our strength (Isaiah 40:31), provide wisdom (James 1:5) and never leave us (Deuteronomy 31:8.)
Present – Ruminating over past failures or anticipating future worries destroys peace. I have to remind myself (often) to live in the present. When I do this, I see God all around me – in nature, in people and in His divine orchestration of all life.
Remembering God’s past provision, believing in His promises and choosing to live in the present, disrupts my negative thinking and puts life in a new light. Even though I don’t understand how my trials will be resolved, the peace of Christ rules in my heart.
Breakthroughs Bring Peace
When you overcome and have breakthroughs in life, you then have authority in that area.
Ryan Alexander, Hosanna Church
Think about what you have been through in life. Once you’ve experienced trials and come out the other side, they have less power over you emotionally. In fact these victories deepen our peace and increase our authority to speak peace into the lives of others. For me, this has translated into an elevated perspective on eternal life and a diminishing of worldly things.
You can’t control your life, but you can control your input and your response.
Ryan Alexander, Hosanna Church
We can foster peace in our life by guarding what we allow into our hearts and minds. By making choices that increase our peace, we will be less shaken by external events and better equipped to control our response. With Christ woven into our thoughts and lives, lets move intentionally toward peace and bring peace to those around us.
God, I pray that you will fill all who are reading this with the peace only you can give. May we be ready when we encounter others whose spirits are crying Please Pass the Peace, because Christ’s peace is living within us. Amen
I am forwarding this to my friend Dee. I just had a nice visit with her and I think she would really like if I passed the peace to her. Thanks! Love you sis 🙂
In this “do what makes you happy” culture, we are called to do what glorifies God. This is a great teaching to remind me that when I truly concentrate on trusting God for today’s needs and staying in step with His word, I can have the peace that surpasses all understanding. Thank you for sharing.
You said that beautifully! Amen!
Wonderful observation Cathy. Facing our fears and struggles with God’s peace in our hearts and souls makes everything possible
I praise God for his divine peace and Pastor Ryan’s amazing sermon on this topic!
Great post mom! I struggle with losing my peace so I really enjoyed this post. When you said ‘ Once you’ve experienced trials and come out the other side, they have less power over you emotionally. In fact these victories deepen our peace and increase our authority to speak peace into the lives of others. ” This really resonated with me. I love how God can use all things and make them good, even losing your peace.
I give credit to Pastor Ryan for the wisdom on this one. It really got my attention as well. I have felt this authority in areas of my life but didn’t know how to describe it. The way God matures us is amazing.