Peace
Mamma bird was pictured calmly feeding her babies in their nest. This was the painting that won an art contest. The challenge to paint a picture of true peace. The nest happened to be cradled in the tree limb of a fallen oak that was floating downstream heading toward a huge rushing waterfall.
Peace is not the absence of conflict. It’s a supernatural rest regardless of difficulty. The peace of God is promised to every child of God [1]. Circumstances may challenge our peace, but they can never steal it. The only way to lose it, is to let it go.
Peace leaks out through the mind. It’s not what’s going on around us that robs us of peace, but what’s going on inside us, in our thinking. So God promises “the peace that passes understanding.” [2] He then orders our thinking. He says, whatever is true, honest, just, pure, whatsoever is lovely is excellent or praiseworthy, think on these things. [3] The result is guaranteed in writing. He promises that, His peace will keep our hearts and minds. [4] You can lose your mind without peace.
God’s prescription for anxiety is vastly superior to the false peace prescribed in pharmaceuticals. Instead of numbing the nerve endings that are fired by the toxic chemistry of worry, God replaces the worry itself with His peace. Real peace brings health to the whole person, spirit, soul and body. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. [5]
We may not be able to change our situation, but we can affect our thinking and that will affect our peace.
[1] Rom.5:1 [2] Phil.4:7 [3] Phil.4:8 [4] Is.26:3 [5] Pro.4:23