ORDER PRINTS
The Way to Peace
When we lived in France for language school, my husband and I had an old fashioned, dashboard mounted GPS. She spoke French. We called her Gwenevere. Is it weird that we name our GPS people? Gwenevere guided us all over France and other parts of Western Europe for a few years. Our journeys were filled with beauty and the destinations were delightful! Each time we found a road or place we loved we saved the destination in the GPS so that we could easily return. When we moved to Togo, we gave Gwenevere-the-GPS to a family who had just arrived in France. They benefited from, not only having a GPS, but from all the wonderful destinations we had saved in the system. It took much of the guessing out of their travels. She faithfully guided them on the same beautiful journeys and they arrived at the same amazing destinations!
Do you ever feel confused trying to find the road that leads to peace? The world, doctors, psychiatrists, counselors and random friends will offer countless ways to find it. It truly is a topic that is as complex as it is deep and wide. There is validity to many recommendations for dealing with anxiety and finding peace, and many that are just plain baloney! How do we know the way?
While each person's journey is unique the destination and
the direction towards peace are consistant.
This is what is so wonderful about a GPS. No matter where you begin, it will guide you in the direction of your destination. This is also what is so wonderful about the Bible! God's word is a true guide. Wherever you are today, choosing to let God's Word guide you will not lead you astray. Just like Gwenever, it is faithful and trustworthy.
So what does the Bible say about the way to peace?
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation,
by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
Wherever you are in life, if you are not at peace, you are likely experiencing some degree of anxiety. Peace and Anxiety are diametrically opposed to one another in every way! Being in a state of anxiety is the opposite of being in a state of peace. Anxiety is not comfortable. It is a reality that most people want to escape.
I once heard an interview in which Chuck Swindoll was interviewing his sister, Lucy Swindoll. When he asked her what she thought was the best feeling in the world, her answer surprised Chuck, and it surprised me. She said, "Relief". Relief. I think she was onto something. While we all want to experience really wonderful emotions that spring from wonderful experiences, nothing drives us to action like the deep and urgent need to feel relief! Peace is the reality and feeling that comes as a relief from anxiety. You do not have to live in a state of being anxious. It is only a place to start! So let's start. The path that God laid for us to get from anxiety to peace is not complicated. It is simple, but it is not easy.
The path is found in the verse quoted above, Philippians 4:6-7. This is the road map that our Creator, God, has given us. It's easy to read this verse and assume we understand what God is telling us. But, if we take the time to dig deeper into the words God chose to use, we will find great depths, meaning and clarity. This verse is filled with riches, but they have to mined. It takes some work to find them and be able to apply them.
That's why I have created a FREE mini-course!
The causes and realities of anxiety are complex and multi-dimensional. It might be tempting to think that a simple Bible verse won't apply to your kind of anxiety. While it is true that the Bible is not that specific about many things, the principles are true. And what is true can be deeply applied and will be effective to help you, no matter what your specific struggle may be. This is not a replacement to anything your physician or counselor are telling you to do. It is what God is telling you to do. So, of all that you are trying to do in order to find relief from your anxiety, don't you think it would be valuable to at least consider also doing what God said to do?
Click HERE to access my FREE mini-course!
In it we will
- Work through Philippians 4:6 & 7.
-Examine together the actual meaning of some of the words in the verses.
-We will study a little Greek together! (I really geek-out on this part!)
-Make some plans for real practical application.
-Set your course so that you can begin to leave behind the pain of anxiety and experience true peace.
The Kingdom of Heaven is perfect peace. If we are going to bring this reality of the Kingdom of Heaven to earth into our lives and lives of the people around us, we have to understand the way. Peace is part of your inheritance as a child of God. Don't forfeit it in exchange for the pain of anxiety. Do the work. Study your Bible, it is your road map. Listen to the Spirit, He is your guide. Follow His path. It leads to life and peace.
Join the free mini-course HERE.
Click to learn more
I will see you on the path to peace.
Melissa