A Fine Line

My friend Mike told me the other day, “There is a fine line between worry and mediative prayer.”

That statement resonated with me. There are several things that make me walk that fine line. One is planting Discover Point. Church plants are fragile things. Many don’t survive. Another is my leadership. Do I have what it takes. A third is will Discover Point keep its passion for people or fall into a fortress mentality.

What about you? What things make you walk the fine line between worry and talking to God?

2019 is the year of the Peace Challenge for us. In Luke 10, Jesus sent His disciples out with a simple mandate: PRAY | GO | EXTEND PEACE. So we have committed to living sent lives by focusing on three life habits:

PRAY – We will pray peace over and with others

EAT – We will build deeper relationships with others by eating at least one meal with someone other than our immediate family

BLESS –  We will serve, encourage and love others daily

Last week’s post talked about Peace with God. The Bible tells us in Romans 5, that we have been reconciled with God through Jesus’ death and life. The Greek word for reconciled is a compound word meaning: to come together and transform your relationship. 

Today we are going to explore the idea of The Peace of God. Let’s begin by taking a quick look at 7 Characteristics of the Peace of God.

1. The Peace of God is a gift – God gives us His peace. When we are worrying or anxious, we can rest as God’s peace covers us. John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives…”
2. The Peace of God gives courage – God’s peace allows us to stand strong in and through whatever the world throws at us. Like when you hear your doctor say, “I am sorry to tell you but you have cancer…”  John 14:27_c, “…Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
3. The Peace of God is not the absence of conflict – God’s peace comes to us in the midst of chaos. God fights for us and His peace rests on us through the battle. Some of the troubles we face are spiritual battles. God and His angels battle the enemy. Romans 16:20 says, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan…”
4. The Peace of God is a protector – God’s peace protects us and allows us to control our emotions and make good decisions as we face our troubles. Philippians 4:7_b“…will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
5. The Peace of God is not explainable – There is no reason we should experience peace, but we do through our relationships with Christ! Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding…”
6. The Peace of God is a fruit – The Holy Spirit produces peace in us as we are being transformed. As we grow in our faith, we experience more and more peace. Galatians 5:22-23“The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
7. The Peace of God is an organizer – Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” The Greek word for rule is an Olympian term meaning: to arrange and conduct the contest. God’s peace

These are not all the characteristics of God’s peace, but they give us a good foundation to understand how it can help us navigate that fine line between worry and prayer.

Next, I want to take a closer look at characteristic #7 – God’s peace is an organizer.

Our friend, Corrie, used to work for a detailing shop. They had a contract with an elite car dealership. She tells us the cars came with a governor that limited the car from traveling more than 25 mph. This governor was not removed until the new owner was ready to drive it off the lot.

The governor is much like an olympian judge. It sets the parameters and ensures that we stay within those parameters.

God’s peace does this for us. Our sinful nature desires unhealthy and unholy things. God’s peace retards those desires. Our sinful nature leads us into worrying and fretting over things. God’s peace reigns in our thoughts and points to trust God. Our sinful nature drives us to be selfish in our relationships, God’s peace puts guardrails on our interactions with others.

So, when the Bible says… Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, it is saying, “Let God’s peace set the agenda and determine your values for interaction with all others in your daily life!”

God’s peace is the governor that enables us to walk the fine line between worry and talking with God, trusting God was we drive through life’s rough roads.

Prayer – God give us your peace. May it give us courage to face life’s troubles trusting that You are fighting for us. Your peace cannot be explained but we know it is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Help us to surrender to His work in our lives. And let the peace of Christ rule in our lives. Thank you Lord for hearing our prayers. In Christ’s name. Amen.