Peace and Joy

If you were to ask anyone on the street, “Would you like more peace and joy?” I can’t imagine anyone turning it down. With everything going on in the world, the pressures of life, war, and the economy, to name a few, everyone could benefit from at least a little more peace and joy.

Here is what the Bible says about peace and joy for us.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6,7

Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

1 Peter 1:8
So how do we get and maintain such peace and joy even in today’s world

- Trust God – I know that can sound generic, but what I mean by that is, remind yourself that your life is in His hands. How do we do that? Pray, read the word everyday, and give. Praying reminds us that we are in communication with a real person that loves us. Reading His word reminds us that he does have an answer for every difficulty and that there is nothing “new under the sun.” God has seen it all and has helped people through it all. Giving reminds us that everything that we have came from Him, and that He will continue to supply.

- Attitude of gratitude – simply stated, be thankful. It is easy to forget how blessed we are! We may not have everything our neighbors have, but because we have relationship with the Lord, we have everything. He who created the universe is our friend. He knows us intimately, and He loves us as if we are the only person alive. Thank Him always for the great gifts He has given you.

- Choose to believe – have faith! This is slightly different than trusting, in that with trust, you have some frame of reference to believe, David killed the lion and the bear so he knew he could kill Goliath. Faith is saying that you understand God’s nature and character. Even though you have no history to believe that you will make it through this tough place, you know God will not let you down.

God really loves you. He knows you. He believes in you. Bad things will happen, that is the nature of this fallen planet of people. God will keep us if we choose to allow Him.