Colossians 3:15
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."
Wikipedia describes peace as “freedom from fear’.
I’m not much on political stuff. I knew who I was going to vote for for the 2020 USA presidential election and what both parties stood for. I know what I stand for so it made it an easy choice for me. As for posting on social media or obsessing about the election, I don’t find myself doing either. Even so, just scrolling through social media or listening to people talk, fear and anxiety for our future has run rampant throughout our country. The fearful are terrified of “doomsday”, of what may happen.
I haven’t read through and counted them all, but I came across an article online that said the Lord reminds us 365 times in the Bible to not fear. That’s a lot of times! We literally have a reminder for every day of the year. Anytime God repeats Himself, I have found it is extra important. In this situation, I imagine that God saw how worrisome us humans were and knew we needed extra encouragement.
Why do we fear?
Fear is part of being human. It’s a basic instinct. But when we live in a fearful state, we are denying that God is in control. He is our Protector, yet when we are consistently worrying and fearful for the future, we cannot see that He has a perfect plan for everything.
God is the one who set everything into motion. He created us. He gave His people a king when they asked for a ruler. He has protected His people during wars, famines, and death. He has strengthened His people during the worst times of their lives. He has always been there orchestrating everything to fit his perfect plan.
The Lord says, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” We have no reason to fear with Jesus on our side.
Knowing this, I trust Him. “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” We pray this, but how do we react when His will is done? “God, I prayed Your will be done in us finding a house to buy, but they have all fallen through! I don’t understand.” But God is looking at your situation and saying, “Child, I have something better for you. That’s why the others didn’t work out.” or “Child, wait. It will happen when the time is right.”
A dear friend of mine and I were talking the other day about trusting God. At one point she said, “Job is a hard "pill to swallow" in my opinion because I cannot even begin to imagine what that was like. But he trusted God.” Job lost his livestock, servants, and children in one day. Can you imagine the sorrow that must have filled his soul? Just like the devil too, to not stop there. Satan then covered Job with boils from head to toe. In the midst of his emotional anguish, it is topped off with physical misery. His wife tried to get him to curse God and die. His friends mocked him saying he must have sinned so God was punishing him. Mind you, the Bible speaks of Job as perfect and upright. This perfect and upright man experienced horrible things. Yet he trusted God. In the end, God blessed Job with double that he had before and blessed Job to live to an old age. How many of us can say we are as Job was? To trust God even though our personal world is falling apart?
So often we don’t understand why things are happening or have happened. God knows. That is why we must trust Him through the unknown. Trust is our bridge from fear and anxiety to peace. We trust God, knowing He will see us through.
What does the Bible say about not being afraid?
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Hebrews 13:66 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Where do we find peace? In Jesus!
2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord [be] with you all.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee.
Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Lastly, I want to remind us what Paul said in Romans 8:38-39 for this particular time in the lives of Americans, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Do not fear, find your peace in Jesus!
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