“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
~ John 14:27

I will attempt to keep this short and sweet! I know life is overwhelming for all of us right now, but I believe most of us have one thing in common. We all long for PEACE!

Where am I seeking peace?

Through my own wanderings, I have realized a crucial truth; we cannot “earn” peace! True lasting, fulfilling peace is not of this world! No amount of physical health / financial security / worldly success, will bring us what our souls truly long for.

The same is true for human relationships, even if they are loving / supportive / wonderful! We are bound to be cruelly disappointed if we put our expectations of love, joy and peace into human hands. I am not proud to say I have learned this the hard way. There have been times in my life when I have turned to God only when all my worldly pursuits were exhausted. Yet God used these dark corners of pain for my good and for His glory (Romans 8:28). My heart can always sing that true peace is found in God alone. How would I know this unless earthly comforts were removed?

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
~ Psalm 73:25-26

Things around us may not be “calm” or “easy” but for those who belong to God, there can always be peace. Why? Because it is the Holy Spirit that gives us this blessed fruit.

God’s Peace is a Fruit of the Spirit

Mom’s last comment (turned into “The Fruit of The Spirit” post) has encouraged me to dig deeper into my own walk, to examine the fruit in my own life.

When I was a child, I would ask what was for dessert, then decide if it was worth eating dinner or not! Lately, I have been thinking of this in a spiritual way. We all want the sweet dessert – the fruit of the Spirit – the PEACE of God! But it isn’t available until we consume and digest the MEAL / the meat / the WORD of God! There are no shortcuts!

We also cannot eat the meal once and then expect nothing but sweet dessert for the rest of our lives. When I find myself upset or anxious, I can hear my Dad ask, “What’s fresh??!!” As in, “what is fresh in your mind from the Word of God?” If I have nothing to say, it means I’m not spending adequate time consuming the Word. Walking in the Spirit is a continued act! When we are sick / anxious / grieving – called aside into places we do not want to go, we must remember that God prepared the best and only meal we will ever need: His body on the cross, His blood shed for us, His forgiveness for our sins… So the real question is: “Is actively walking in the Spirit a vital part of my daily life?

The true blessing of being Called Aside

The beauty of God’s peace (and all other fruits of His spirit) is that He does not give as the world gives. The world will always disappoint in the end. “I do not give as the world gives” is a powerful promise! I am so thankful that Christ gives eternal fruit that does not depend on circumstances of this life!

The end of this poem (finally!), “Called Aside,” is a perfect example of God’s perfect peace. Coming to a place of acceptance and surrender is essential for our soul to grasp His heavenly peace. Even our deepest, darkest, hidden times can lead us to be content and even thankful for our trials. For in fellowship with Christ alone, is where we find that tender joy and eternal peace that is unshakeable! Even if all the world around us fails, if our bodies fail, if our minds fail, if family / friends / others fail us… God will NEVER fail! Time spent in the shadow of His cross, is the true blessing of being called aside…

Called aside–
We thank You for the stillness and the shade;
We thank You for the hidden paths Your love has made,
And, so that we have wept and watched with Thee,
We thank You for our dark Gethsemane.

Called aside–
O restful thought – He doeth all things well;
O blessed sense, with Christ alone to dwell;
So in the shadow of Your cross to hide,
We thank You, Lord, to have been called aside.

Thank you, Lord, for walking me / us through difficult times of being called aside. From the outside, these times may appear to be cruel punishment, but we know that You are conforming Your children into the beautiful image of Your Son. Teach us to desire a close and daily walk with you. Help us walk in Your Spirit, desiring Your fruit above anything else (Job 23:12). Bless us with Your eternal peace, that surpasses all understanding and shields us from the darkness of this world. Thank you for the honor of being called aside to grow closer to You.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
~ Philippians 4:6-7