Galatians 5:22 lists peace as a fruit of the Spirit. When problems pound us and threaten to overwhelm, a peaceful heart is a gift beyond measure.
My writing stalled for two months based on something I thought I was waiting for. Part of that waiting dealt with the resolution of tech issues. What I call tech issues entails the Internet presence required for authors. I’m always learning and some things remain beyond my ability. That’s when I can really get worked up, when I want to be writing instead of seeking help fixing much computer stuff. Amidst the chaos of my frustration, I am often reminded God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. He wants me to trust Him and relinquish my mess to Him.
During that two months hours raced, days passed, and at the end of the day I felt as though I hadn’t accomplished a thing. That nothingness doesn’t matter. What matters is the act of giving the weight of my load to my God. When I rest in Him the Lord Jesus gives me a peace beyond any descriptive word I can set down.
I continue to wait on inspiration for characters, how they grow closer to the Lord, and the stories they tell. While waiting, I keep praying. I trust God will grant me grace to do the work He’s called me to do, according to His timing as He works on my heart. I also remain available as I listen to what He tells my spirit. I sit, rest, try to relax, and wait. Paul tells me in Ephesians 2:14 Jesus Himself is my peace, a gift beyond my understanding.
Not too long ago I was blessed by things He revealed to me through nature:
~~ the Lord brought me a butterfly after many cold nights
~~ the Lord graced the sky with a rainbow following a November cloudburst
~~ the Lord drew my attention to a bird trapped inside a birdfeeder.
Around the same time, answered prayers added to my inner peace:
~~ the Lord provided a group of writers to critique with
~~ and to ease my tech anxiety, the Lord gifted me with a potential tech assistant.
Philippians 4:7 tells me the peace of God surpasses all comprehension. There is no explanation, no understanding of how it works. But I know I have the gift of peace in the knowledge I am a work in progress. Whatever he gifts me with, Jesus can do the same for you. All He wants from any of us is our heart.
Now, to answer that question of what I want for Christmas . . .
Ultimately, Jesus is my present. All I want for Christmas then is to rely on Him as He shapes me into who He wants me to be. He assures me He meets me where I am and will carry me all the way to the end. That end will be the beginning of an eternity spent with my Lord Jesus Christ, my heavenly Father, and all the Saints. Hallelujah! And I praise Him for indescribable peace that floods my heart.
I want that same present of peace for all my loved ones. The prophet Isaiah said in chapter 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.” (NIV) Steadfast means firmly fixed or established. That means the promises of the Bible only come into our hearts when we read and study. And what’s in our hearts will be shown in our lives.
My writing stalled for two months based on something I thought I was waiting for. Part of that waiting dealt with the resolution of tech issues. What I call tech issues entails the Internet presence required for authors. I’m always learning and some things remain beyond my ability. That’s when I can really get worked up, when I want to be writing instead of seeking help fixing much computer stuff. Amidst the chaos of my frustration, I am often reminded God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. He wants me to trust Him and relinquish my mess to Him.
During that two months hours raced, days passed, and at the end of the day I felt as though I hadn’t accomplished a thing. That nothingness doesn’t matter. What matters is the act of giving the weight of my load to my God. When I rest in Him the Lord Jesus gives me a peace beyond any descriptive word I can set down.
I continue to wait on inspiration for characters, how they grow closer to the Lord, and the stories they tell. While waiting, I keep praying. I trust God will grant me grace to do the work He’s called me to do, according to His timing as He works on my heart. I also remain available as I listen to what He tells my spirit. I sit, rest, try to relax, and wait. Paul tells me in Ephesians 2:14 Jesus Himself is my peace, a gift beyond my understanding.
Not too long ago I was blessed by things He revealed to me through nature:
~~ the Lord brought me a butterfly after many cold nights
~~ the Lord graced the sky with a rainbow following a November cloudburst
~~ the Lord drew my attention to a bird trapped inside a birdfeeder.
Around the same time, answered prayers added to my inner peace:
~~ the Lord provided a group of writers to critique with
~~ and to ease my tech anxiety, the Lord gifted me with a potential tech assistant.
Philippians 4:7 tells me the peace of God surpasses all comprehension. There is no explanation, no understanding of how it works. But I know I have the gift of peace in the knowledge I am a work in progress. Whatever he gifts me with, Jesus can do the same for you. All He wants from any of us is our heart.
Now, to answer that question of what I want for Christmas . . .
Ultimately, Jesus is my present. All I want for Christmas then is to rely on Him as He shapes me into who He wants me to be. He assures me He meets me where I am and will carry me all the way to the end. That end will be the beginning of an eternity spent with my Lord Jesus Christ, my heavenly Father, and all the Saints. Hallelujah! And I praise Him for indescribable peace that floods my heart.
I want that same present of peace for all my loved ones. The prophet Isaiah said in chapter 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.” (NIV) Steadfast means firmly fixed or established. That means the promises of the Bible only come into our hearts when we read and study. And what’s in our hearts will be shown in our lives.
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