For years, I've been keeping a journal of things God has been speaking about in my quiet times. Some of you might be aware I was a fulltime pastor for 25 years before becoming a fiction author. I've shared some of these journal writings with people who've asked from time to time, and they said they've found them very helpful. I suppose that's because I'm just like everyone else, and my problems and challenges are the same faced by thousands of Christians every day. I'll label these all the same in this blog, so they'll be easy to find as time goes by. Look for the label, "Perfect Peace - Hope for the Weary Soul." The title is a clue. There will be a theme, mainly because the things I'll write about are things God has used to help this Fretting Soul learn how to trust Him more and live free from the tendency to worry and fret about everything.
I don't think I'm a pessimist. That's not why I'm prone to worry. I worry because life is hard, and things I don't want to happen seem to happen a lot. Even when things are going my way, I'll worry they won't keep going my way. Why? Because that's what happens. They don't keep going my way. Something happens. Something always happens.
The Bible is full of promises. And this is one of them. This life will be filled with trouble (I'm paraphrasing here, but a dozen verses that say this just popped into my head). We can no more dodge problems and trials in this life than we can dodge raindrops running through a parking lot. Trouble-free living is not what the Christian life offers. As a matter of fact, at the Last Supper, one of the last things Jesus promised His disciples was, "In this world you will have tribulation." (John 16:23).
But that's not all He said. He followed that with, "But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." While the Bible promises a life filled with trouble, we're also promised a life filled with joy and peace. How is that possible?
It's not.
Not on our own, that is. By ourselves, we'll just drift into worrying and fretting about everything. That will lead us into even more trouble. We'll do things that make our situation worse, and make us feel worse about our situation. The secret to experiencing that promised joy and peace doesn't come because we prayed a prayer and became Christians.Here's one of my favorite verses that reveals the narrow path to experiencing true peace in this life. A Perfect Peace.
"You will keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. Because he trusts you." (Isa. 26:3)
That's what we'll be talking about. How to do that. How to keep our minds "stayed on Him." That's what I've been learning how to do, and it's made an amazing difference in my life. So come on back if you're like me (or know of friends who are), prone to worry and fret, but yearning to finally live free of it.
Jesus wants to give us a peace the world cannot give, and cannot take away.
Oh, gosh...I must be much like you, a worrier. Great post, Dan. Thanks for the reminder of God's promises.
ReplyDeleteThe timing of this could not be better for me! I look forward to God speaking through you to help all us worriers and Fretters.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brenda. I think there's a lot of "us."
ReplyDeleteDan
Look forward to hearing your thoughts, too, Tammy.
ReplyDeleteI applaud your bringing this up and offering yourself to help others. There are lots of us "fretters" out there even though we know (at least in our heads) that God is in control and has our best mapped out for us. Still, the world is a scary place sometimes and we need that nudge to look to Him when we are inundated with fear.
ReplyDeleteThanks Connie. Sounds like we're on the same page, for sure.
ReplyDeleteDan
Thanks for the inspiring post, as well as beginning this blog feature. We humans need it, at least I do. You spoke of exactly what my adult-ed Christian class lesson was about this morning: staying focused on Him no matter what happens in life. A lesson I need to maximize this particular weekend; this particular lifetime! I'm subscribing to your blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks Elaine, great to have you. Hoping to put a new post every Fri or Sat. Perhaps more if my weeks aren't crazy.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Dan. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who struggles in this area.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Read something recently about worry actually being a sin. Brought me up short, thinking about how often I worry...ouch! Looking forward to your posts, hoping we'll all learn to "trust in God," a little bit better!
ReplyDeleteDeborah and Cynthia, glad to have you join us. Plenty to worry about, lots more reasons to trust. Hoping to put the next installment in on Friday.
ReplyDeleteDan