#27 Peace With Trust

I have strong faith, with a lot of trust. Doesn’t that mean automatic peace? I know God is in control – of all things, including my future. So, where is my peace? Is peace a choice, like joy?

I can look back and see many times when God worked in my life. That  comforts me, especially at times when I don’t feel his presence. For example, I remember praying so hard for a baby and wondering if God heard my prayers. We adopted and the very first time we held our son in our arms, we had no doubt he was part of God’s plan for us. If we had gotten pregnant, we wouldn’t have this precious child. God knew the plan. We didn’t know the plan until we could see it.

Perhaps the crucial thing is to have the peace with trust. I often ask why we must learn to trust again and again? Why isn’t it a one time thing?

I’m glad I don’t have the keys to control what happens in my life. I would make a mess of it.

All the messy things in my life have turned out to be blessings. Another example is when my mother had breast cancer. She came to live with us while she had surgery and radiation. Tough times, but out of those tough times came my first published devotion in The Upper Room – Thank you Times Ten.

When someone stole my wallet, I wrote another devotion – My True Identity.  This devotion reminds us our identity isn’t a number. We are a child of God; that’s our identity.

One difficult situation after another and I can see how God worked each time. I don’t think I saw God at work until each situation was resolved.

And maybe that’s what I must do now. Just trust God is indeed at work, even if I don’t always know how. My job is to trust and pray for his will.

With prayer, I can figure out what God wants me to do with this tumor. He invites us to ask him for wisdom. I don’t want brain surgery, but is that how God wants me to deal with this tumor? I don’t want the radiation, but same question. Left up to me, guess I would watch and if it doesn’t grow, do nothing. If God wants me to take a different direction, he will make that clear in his timing.

*****

Dear God,

Forgive me when my faith in you wavers. You are constant. You don’t change. That brings me faith and trust. I trust you. Help me to feel your peace. Help the peace to be more constant.

My emotions run amuck. I don’t understand how that can be. I want you to be in charge of my life. Why does that not bring peace? Probably because I still want the control. Help me to give the controls to you.

Please help me to feel the peace that passes all understanding. Amen.

You will keep in peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you. Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal rock. Isaiah 26:3-4