His Peace…

There is so much turmoil and uncertainty in the every day experience of life and it will take its toll on our souls. The experts will tell us that our emotional state is influenced by our thoughts. Our thoughts trigger feelings. Feelings move us into action in ways that protect us and those we care about from fears real or imagined. Its exhausing. If I think I am safe, that my next meal is a done deal, that nuclear war is probably a ways off, I am able to experience calm, a sense of well being, even optimism. If I am focused on aspects of life I sense are about to fly off the merri-go-round, like political climates, social conflicts, wayward children, and spend time preparing for the worst, I’m stressed.

We hold certain values dear to us and when life happens in ways that are in contradiction to those values, we experience emotional stress. It is easy to understand that when my values are threatened and there is no acceptable resolution in sight, my emotional life is going to suffer.

Critical thinkers evaluate and emotional intelligent people empathize to minimize the impact of realistically concerning problems. But the dependency on medication has increased dramatically through the years leading to a conclusion that ability to reasonably assess of risk and appropriatly manage emotions, is out of reach for many Americans. Our people are suffering! According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America:

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
• Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
• People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those who do not suffer from anxiety disorders.
• Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events

(https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics)

So…if you are consistently managing manifestions of anxiety, good news: you are not alone!

    The Supernatural Experience of Faith

“My 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.” (John 14:27) 

It is remarkable that Jesus’ words uttered so long ago are still relevant and necessary considering no matter how long mankind exists, the absence of peace in the human experience is a consistent reality. He spoke this over his disciples who had some difficult days coming. This rhema breath over His disciples, would sustain them in the face of persecution and promise of death at the hands of those who did not understand. Jesus’ followers must have been terrified yet they did not run and hide, they faced their persecutors with courageous devotion to their beliefs. I propose they lived and died through the supernatural manifestation of Holy Peace.

Such supernatural, soul grounding peace is available to anyone who enters into relationship with Jesus. This entering is the first supernatural experience followed by immeasurable supernatural moments of Holy Influence. When my husband was being treated for Stage IV cancer, our family was unbelievably calm and focused, determined to submit fear (panic) to a supernatural Love so great the effect was deep, abiding, quiet peace of the soul. No anti-anxiety, anti-depression, or sleep medication, only faith; even accepting he might die, overwhelming peace in the assurance of his ultimate destiny. 

Faith changes everything but it matters who we are trusting for all this. There are many belief systems and different strategies for calming the soul. Look around all you like, but for me there was just one proposal that outshined all the others – Jesus. Forgiveness for sin. A new nature. Holy power within manifesting not only in inexplicable peace, but expressing joy, exercising patience, finding self-control, offering kindness and gentleness.

This kind of peace – the kind that reduces your heart rate, keeps your hair from falling out, helps you sit still with a cup of tea, that causes you to respond to to stupid drivers with grace…is one of God’s many wonderful fruits of His spirit and receiving it we can become happy peace-filled souls.

The pursuit of the heart of God and his offering of His peace does not require religious regimes or doctrines. This pathway begins with a simple acknowledgement that the universe is much bigger than I am and I truly have no control over so many things, but am willing to believe in something greater than me; and I have seen something wonderful in the life and ministry of Jesus. I come to believe that God does indeed love me, that he has my very best interest at heart and will make everything distasterous good in His time. I need only be quiet and still and watch it unfold.