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Deceit is in the hearts of those who devise evil, but the counselors of peaceH7965 have joy.
Proverbs 12:20
In order to be someone who encourages peace, one must intentionally and deliberately emulate the Prince of Peace. If you squeeze a lemon, lemon juice pours from it. If you squeeze a Christian, the Fruit of the Spirit should flow from him or her. Two of the Fruit of the Spirit are peace and joy (Galatians 5:22-23). The Lord encourages those who strive for peace in the Beatitudes when He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).
During my month-long hospital adventure to have both my legs amputated above the knee, I (Susan) knew intense fear and anxiety. The challenge was to overcome them and not be overcome by them. Those emotions had to be subdued by the Prince of Peace in order for me to effectively share His gospel. Praise the Lord, He had already given instructions for replacing anxiety with peace:
Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God’s grace was paramount during the trial, The peace of God overshadowing my difficult situation. God brought people of differing faiths to my bedside and enabled me to share His love even in the midst of my pain. I pray that through my testimony, they may find the perfect peace that comes only from trusting the Lord Jesus Christ and discover true joy that is not dependent upon circumstances.
When anxious thoughts begin to well up inside you, immediately bring them to the Lord in prayer, thanking Him in advance for His watchful care for you. He will grant you peace as you trust Him even in the storms of life. He will enable you to have peace-filled joy when you “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7).
Father, we thank You that Your peace enables us to exude joy even during difficult situations. Thank You for holding us securely in Your hand.
Remember that Jesus is with you always, even in the eye of the storm. Perhaps you have experienced His peace when all around you is not peaceful. If so, you can relate to “Eye of the Storm” sung by Ryan Stevenson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2FqFLKisys
