Thoughts

You will keep in perfect peace* all who trust in you, 

all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) 

We are all susceptible to a wandering mind.  Something that we perceive as negative happens and it instantly triggers some anxiety or fear.  Our minds begin to focus on the "what if's" and the worries, conjuring up disastrous scenarios for the future.   And, our minds are quick to judgment and blame. When things aren't going well, we can always find someone to blame.  We usually put a negative spin on other people's behavior.  All these toxic thoughts are killers. They destroy our peace and joy in the Lord.  

The question is, who's in control here?  Are we subject to thought-control, becoming slaves to our own thoughts?  Or, can we display self-control?  We are in need of self-control and discipline?  As soon as we sense our thoughts going down a negative path we can call a halt, shift gears and re-focus bringing our mind back to the only focus that brings us joy, peace and freedom.  We must make the choice to bring our focus back to the Lord, throw all our cares on him and trust him to take care of everything. That focus will always relieve us of anxiety, bring us to the point of peace and rest and fill our hearts with an understanding compassion and love towards others.

Lord, grant us the strength and wisdom to get our thoughts to stand at attention - attention on you.  Make us instantly aware when our thoughts begin to wander into negative territory and bring us back to a clear and single focus. 

*An interesting side note on the phrase "perfect peace."  The original Hebrew does not have the word "perfect."  The original has "shalom, shalom."  In other words, "peace, peace."   The word peace is used twice for emphasis.  The Hebrew word "shalom" doesn't just mean peace in the sense of freedom from conflict, but encompasses much more including the ideas of completeness, welfare and health.

Peace & Joy

Las Noches de Las Luminarias
 Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix

 Because of God’s tender mercy, 

the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

 and to guide us to the path of peace.

Luke 1:78-79 (NLT)

Jesus came to earth with a very specific purpose.  To shine light into the darkness of our lives, to set us free and put our feet on the path of peace. Our lives sit in great darkness and confusion until the light of Christ shines upon us.  When we allow him to shine his light into our lives, he begins to expose those hidden things that keep us in confusion and fear. With his light upon us, he begins to guide us on a new path and into a place of peace.  He brings us out of darkness into his glorious light.

Peace and joy are the gifts God has for us. Those are not just empty words on a Christmas card, but real and tangible gifts from God.  Peace and joy are so often lacking in our lives. How can we find our way to this path of peace? When the light begins to shine upon us, it reveals a door.  When we enter through that door we find that the path that leads to peace and joy opens before us.  That door is called surrender.  As we turn our will and our lives completely over to the care of God and trust all into his hands we begin our journey on the pathway of peace.  When we stop fighting for our own way and surrender to his good, pleasing and perfect will, we begin to experience his blessings.  Since he knows us so well, God's will is always perfectly suited for us.  It is the most joyous and satisfying thing we can experience.  There is nothing scary about it.  When we begin to veer off that path into our own way, we may experience some temporary satisfaction, but our peace and joy will begin to fade.  That's the time to turn our hearts back again to the path of peace.

Lord, open our hearts.  Guide us to the path of peace.  Help us to surrender all that we are to you so that we might experience your gifts of true peace and joy this Christmas season.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, 

but let God transform you into a new person

 by changing the way you think. 

Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,

 which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

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