Living in a woodland setting has allowed me to see incredible birds. To enjoy them more, I have placed bird feeders in my yard to get a closer and personal look. It has been a trial and error buying the right one to keep some furry predators from consuming all the feed. Trust me when I tell you I have some plump squirrels hanging about. This scenario got me thinking of peace.

Jesus warned us that life would offer us trouble, no exceptions. We will have problems, but when and how much is more of the question. In John 16:33, Jesus is sharing with his disciples what awaits them,

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV)

Peace is a promise He keeps. Our lives are meant to operate through the vessel of peace. Not devoid of trouble but thriving with peace despite it. My feeder is intended to be strong and resilient so as to provide sustenance for my beautiful flying neighbors. Peace also provides the strength and sustains us against the adversary that is lurking about. His objective is to rob us of the peace God promised to deliver. Back to my story, several purchases later, I found a feeder servicing my needs. Trouble is still coming, as evidenced by my leaning pole holding the new one, yet the container still has food for the creatures that need it most. What’s different about this last fixture is the material it’s made of. The previous canisters were made of a lightweight substance that our bushy-tailed foe forced to the ground. They shattered in a slew of pieces.

This begs the question- what are you made of? What substance supports your soul as you navigate through the peaks and valleys of life? As the daughters of the King, bought with the precious blood of Jesus, we have access to all the Father chooses to bestow upon us. Love, peace, joy, and so much extra. Here’s the thing sometimes, we often forget to ask, seek, or knock till we receive what is ours through kinship with Jesus. Peace is an assurance and part of the fruit of the Spirit we have at our disposal.

When the anxious thoughts come, and they will; I can ask, what am I made of? Is it fear, bitterness, or resentment that drives my heart? Or is it peace?

Let’s take a look at Philippians 4:7-

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ. (NIV)

This scripture is a life preserver given to us when we feel that life’s trials have us drowning.

Another small lesson I learned from my bird feeder drama is, am I guarding what I value? Since I have come to appreciate the beauty of these birds, why would I allow a rickety feeder or a precariously situated one? I wouldn’t. How interesting that we can place such value on small things, but when it comes to matters of our hearts, we don’t.

Proverbs 4:23 is our prompting-
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (NIV)

We will dive deeper into this verse in another blog post, but for now, it is crucial to understand that this is a command, not a suggestion. Many of us live disruptive and chaotic lives because we haven’t diligently guarded our hearts. One of the avenues the enemy uses to rattle us is worry. Worry is definitely an effective way to get us to lose perspective, faith, and overall peace.

Author Leo Buscaglia penned this insightful quote,

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it only saps today of its joy.”

It also saps today of our peace. Jesus poignantly tells us not to worry about tomorrow, for it will have enough worries unto itself. (Matt 6:34 paraphrased) If we look at Proverbs 12:25, we see another byproduct of worry-

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. (NLT)

Worrying thoughts distract, confuse, and fill us with anxiety leaving no room to receive peace. Again trials and tribulations will always be part of this earthly world, but God offers us peace to handle the ups and downs.

As I read my Bible this morning, Luke 24 gave me insight into the occurrences after Jesus’ death and glorious resurrection. The disciples and the others were filled with doubt and suffering from aimlessness. The man, Jesus, whom they so closely followed for three years, the Savior of Israel, was gone along with their dashed hopes and dreams. Yet, in verse 36, Jesus comes to them, greeting them, “Peace be with you .” The risen Messiah understood they would be troubled. Worry weighed them down; his offering was peace.

Lastly, I will leave you with this. For years, I struggled with grabbing hold of this promise. Trying to process my hardships, I reasoned it couldn’t be as simple as asking and believing God would give it. A dangerous thought bombarded my mind continuously. Why should I trouble God with my troubles?  I use the word dangerous since that is the thing that would keep me from running to the Father and simply asking.

Have you ever asked yourself, is it really that simple? I would answer that with a yes. Jesus would have prepared us if it required more than asking. We must work on guarding our hearts, valuing what matters most, and deciding what we are made of. Be encouraged because peace is a promise God keeps.

Dear friend, pray this devotional adds peace and comfort to you. Know you are thought of and prayed for. Share with a friend if it has blessed you.

XO,
Katherine