From Change To Peace

The servant, more than any other, suffers because of the actions of others. Theirs is a job which is designed to make other lives less burdensome, easier to walk. These others either blindly or willingly enter into the fray willy-nilly and the end result is a loss of order, a loss of stability. But it does not have to be a loss of peace. Indeed, it can be the beginning of your peace.

Jesus said that in this life you shall have tribulation, trouble. We often think of trouble as negative, but our greatest, positive changes emerged after our troubles. Trouble equals opportunity through change. It is an upheaval of the status quo, a shifting of the powers that be, disorder injected into an orderly or (at least) understood environment.

Not all change is bad, but all change brings change. Change is bad when we aren’t prepared to benefit from it. And since change often takes us into dimensions and elements of the unknown, how can we be prepared? Through focusing on what we can and can’t do - and allowing God to handle the parts He hasn’t equipped us for: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference,” we stand poised to redeem and reap peace during times and seasons of adversity. 

The Key is Peace, found in the Lord, the Prince of Peace.

"I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am" (Phil 4.11b AMP).

Paul teaches us “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself,” (Phil 4.11b CSB) which is a state of mind that can flow from the abiding in a spirit of peace. That state comes from where we set our focus upon.

I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.

I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Ps 121, vs 1-2 my emphasis)

The mountain is the place of presence, provision, and protection. Lifting our eyes to this place from the valley of our situations causes our eyes to lift skyward, to the heavens. As we look past the might of the mountain, we realize the vastness of our heavenly inheritance, where our Brother, Captain, and Savior rest.

Draw Upon Your Inheritance 

I am a joint heir with the Prince of Peace: our joint heritage is peace. I will move in my inheritance, I will walk in peace. I will move in peace. 

When change comes I pursue peace. But when things are stagnant or negative or overwhelming in my life I pursue change with the Hoped for outcome of Peace on the horizon; when I see it, I shall pursue it.

For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil. (1 Pet 3:10-12 HCSB)

I suffer the disorderly manifestation with one hope in mind: peace. I suffer the storm with one hope in mind: peace. I suffer the catastrophic misunderstandings and cascading failures around me with one hope in mind: peace.

I will stand in peace.

I will manifest my heritage of Peace, not trusting in myself but trusting in my Savior who is the Source, who is my Prince of Peace.

When the storm comes I will seek the eye of the storm, I will be the eye of the storm. 

I will Stand in peace.

I will take up the full armor of God, so that I may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take my stand. (Eph 6.13 HCSB)

I will stand in Peace.

With truth like a belt around my waist, righteousness like armor on my chest... (Eph 6.14 HCSB)

I will Stand. In. Peace.

(updated 12/22/22)