A Year of Peace

My husband Ben commented yesterday that I seem more peaceful than usual. If you know me well you know that I am a bit uptight and peaceful may be the last word you would use to describe me. Peace, in many ways, has eluded me throughout my life and the fact that I feel (and am evidently displaying) peace is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in my life.

I recently learned, through Beth Moore’s study on the fruit of the Spirit, that peace goes hand in hand with authority. In other words, we experience peace when we are convinced that God is in control. I think I have always believed on some level that God is in control, but somehow I assumed He wanted or needed my help. I worked very hard to try and help God control the world (or at least my corner of it) but it turns out that job was too big for me and I am happy to announce that I recently retired 
So how does a recovering control freak find peace? Here’s how it happened for me:

-I lost my job
-I had a miscarriage
-I found out I needed surgery before we should try to conceive again
-Four days before my surgery I found out my insurance wouldn’t cover the surgery
-I cancelled the surgery
-I received a stack of medical bills that were all for naught
I am learning to believe God and in so doing I must believe that He is involved in my life and that if I am living according to His will that everything that happens in me and to me and around me is for His glory and for my good. But these things didn’t seem good. I received each of them as if they came straight from His hand, but I cried when He gave them to me because I didn’t understand that what He was giving me was peace. Precious peace. Peace wrapped up in a bitter box. It hurt to open those boxes but the treasure inside was well worth the tears.

Thus far 2010 hasn’t turned out the way I had hoped or planned but I will not remember it as a year of heartache, I will remember it as a year that I stopped leaning on my own understanding and instead leaned heavily on the Lord and found Him to be faithful; a year of miracles, a year of faith, a year of peace. Praise the LORD!

Matthew 7:11
So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Philippians 4:6-8
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.