I’ve been thinking about peace lately…not only how to find it, but how to keep it, because, let’s face it, the world today is not designed to bring us the kind of peace that brings total and true rest to our souls.
I am firmly convinced that peace is linked to our thought life. The Bible says in…
“Isaiah 26:3…“You (God) keep him in perfect peace whose MIND is stayed on you, because he trusts you.”
Philippians 4:7…”And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your MINDS in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:6…”For to set the MIND on the flesh is death, but to set the MIND on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Our minds are wonderful things. God created us with the ability to think, and reason, and create. Our minds are like super computers, able to hold vast amounts of information, while continuing to build on the past to direct our futures.
But there’s a downside as well. Our minds also have the ability to dredge up thoughts, experiences and emotions that are better left in the past, as well as create new worries and fears and doubts. And like I mentioned earlier, the world today is not designed to bring us peace. Just look at the headlines!
But even beyond that, we do have an adversary who is actively trying to steal our peace. He wants us to live in conflict, worry and stress, because then we are ineffective in the Kingdom of God. If he can disturb our peace then our focus will no longer be on our Father, but on him.
Then how do we find, and keep, peace?
The answer is in the Bible… 2 Corinthians 10:5…”Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
We have to first know Christ; we have to have a personal, close, intimate relationship with the God who created us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Have you accepted Jesus as your savior?
Secondly, it is our responsibility to choose what we think about, and to make sure that our thoughts are ‘obedient to Christ’. To bring our thoughts into captivity means that we can’t just let every random thought that wanders through our minds settle in and take up residence because, quite frankly, not every thought is Christ-centered and in fact, there’s a lot that are designed to steal our peace.
How do we know which thoughts we should be thinking about?
‘And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” -Philippians 4:8