Peace that passes understanding

I've been spiritually tossing and turning all week and was struggling at heart in need for some renewal. Not in a familiar city, I spent Tuesday night reading from the gospels and scouring the yellow pages for churches of the area and looking them up online. Finally finding one that I really liked AND had service on Wednesdays, I attended... Glory to God in how He delivers precisely what we need!!

Last night, I drug my feet and brought my heavy, guilty heart into this church, and I tell you as I stood and sang the first hymn, the renewing power of worship flooded into my very soul and gave me new strength. No great sermon had been given, no moving prayer shared, I simply joined other children of Christ and sang "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and I prayed in my heart glory glory glory and thank you God for our new born King.

The message did, in fact, turn out to be great and our study revolved primarily around Philippians 4. Was it written for me? I walked into that church with a knotted spirit and within minutes we read:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:6-7

Thank you, Lord.

We read: find whatever things are good and think about them! Think about what you have learned in God and put it into practice.
I heard: Meg, be strong in every situation, for you can do everything through Me.


And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The peace of God, which goes beyond present, past and future, beyond economic, physical, romantic and emotional fear, God's peace transcends all. God's peace transcends my hurt and confusion and turmoil, transcends chaos and hate and war and gives strength, simply by rejoicing and following Him. Peace glows through all darkness because those seeking the light of Good will always find a ray, even if it emanates from the peace within themselves.

If you haven't read Philippians 4 recently, I recommend it to you now.

Peace be with you.

Keeping the gift unwrapped

Sometimes, in moments of struggle and personal turmoil, in my weakness I allow myself to slip into a feeling of isolation. I feel alone, helpless, lost spiritually. I realize that I am so, so far from perfect. I know my sins and count them and I resent the world around me. Then, I feel guilt for that resentment and my isolation spirals. The amount of time I allow these feelings to persist varies, but on the whole I realize my wrong quicker and quicker each time, and return swiftly to what I know will tell me the truth; I remember to Seek Him First.

Talking about perfection a few weeks ago, the study leader finished his exploration of the perfect with a simple thought: the perfect is perfecting towards perfection.
In my lack of understanding I was underwhelmed, he followed up his original sentence with an explanation: the perfect bible is perfecting us toward perfection, God and Son.

The bible and its lessons and words put me in my place every time, sometimes simply at the thought. I see its red cover and gold writing and know exactly what I am going to find, and the hopelessness around me shrinks. Who am I to think the world is so hard? To think I am so alone? I am so, so very far from alone. I am so far from helpless. I have asked Christ to accept me, forgive me, for salvation. And He has answered Yes. I do not have to earn Him by obtaining perfection, for in this I will never succeed. Jesus asks for nothing but to glorify Him, to follow His example, and Seek the Kingdom in all we do. Goodness, humility, benevolence, patience, belief, hope.

I can breathe again.
Christ, I can do that for you. I can Seek Your Kingdom. I can give my all in complete good conscience to following your lead.
I feel ashamed for letting my problems overcome me, as if somehow my sins couldn't be forgiven, somehow my load was too great to bear. Were those words in my head? No. But they were the subconscious thoughts that fueled my feeling of isolation; I had rewrapped the greatest gift of all and set it back under the tree.

With this gentle and giant revelation I am renewed to take on the world around me again, renewed to strive to be the good Christian I want to be, renewed with strength, patience, clarity and knowledge that Good always prevails. My problems still exist, life still goes on, but Love replaces fear.

Our Father gave us all the very first and most glorious Christmas gift, and it is given for eternity; let us all remember to keep it unwrapped and in use at all times.

Glory to God in the Highest Heaven, and peace on earth to all whom He favors.