Let Peace Rule in Your Hearts

This morning I felt led to reflect on a few verses from Paul's letter to the Colossians 3:15-17 NIV:

[15] "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. [16] Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. [17] And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

My first thought on reading these verses was how bad we need God's peace right now!  While this is typically a pretty busy time of the year, getting ready for Christmas, Christmas parties, seeing loved ones, this year is more about trying to minimize contact with others, worrying if you have a cold or a cough, concern that the virus might visit your house or place of employment!  I see anxiety all around!  We are seeing ever constricting rules of lock-down, and it feels like we are  in for a long winter.

This is why Paul's message is so important this morning, for he encourages us to LET the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, in other words its our choice as to what we allow to rule in our hearts.  We can allow anxiety and fear to rule in our hearts, or we can allow the peace of Christ.  Many of us are taking a responsible approach to keeping others safe, and that is laudable.  We, however, need to make sure that this is not a rationalization for fear.  We can be responsible and peaceful at the same time!  

Lately, I have been seeing a significant increase personally, and in the people I love, of anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, aloneness, introspection, and fear.  I see a increase in illogical thoughts, of reasoning disconnected from fact, of people's mindsets being set by things other than the Word of God.  This brings me back to Paul's encouragement, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts!".

Let us embrace his next encouragement, to let the message and words of Christ, dwell richly among us, reflecting on it, meditating on it, speaking it to ourselves and to one another!  The other night I realized I had been under a similar attack and I just started reminding myself of who I am, of what God has said about me, of His word over me, and it allowed me to break through into a place of peace.  I  started thanking the Lord for all the goodness He has poured into my life, thanking Him for His provision and blessing.  I started admonishing myself, reminding myself of all the incredible interactions of intimacy I have had with the Lord, and saw my previous thinking dissolve into nothingness for it was based on lies, not the Truth of the Word.

Since that evening, I have been listening to much more worship music, I have been actively praying more throughout the day, I have been choosing to let His peace reign in my heart and it has made a huge difference in the state of my mind and heart.  I am not ignoring all the swirl, but I am not getting caught up in the swirl.  I am reminded of Jesus' teaching about building our house (our Life) on rock (His Word) found in Matthew 7:24-25 NIV: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. [25] The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."

As I read those last verses, the rain still came, the streams still rose and the winds still blew, but the house did not fall...it did not collapse into the flood and get swept away.  There is no denying that we are in a season of storming, swirling, and change, but we can remain steadfast, by allowing Christ's words and peace to reign in our hearts and minds!

My prayer for myself and for all is that we might embrace this encouragement today!  That we would press through the whirlwind surrounding us, and reconnect with the Rock, the Lord,  for He is unshaken!  Let us really embrace the reason for this season, and let His peace reign in our hearts!

Amen!