Kept in Perfect Peace

I’m the type of person who likes to plan out their life ahead of time — their days, meals, and even outfits. But life is often filled with uncertainties, and uncertainty is usually followed by anxious thoughts. More often than not, I don’t get what I want or what I think I want, and I then ask God the big one-worded question; “Why?” I question God’s goodness and sovereignty instead of trusting in the plans he has already put into motion for me.    Worry isn’t a good feeling. Our minds get filled with doubts and fear, but God promises to give us perfect peace if we keep our minds stayed on him. It is such an easy solution to so many worries that we have, but it is our innate desire to be in control that makes it seem so difficult.    The term “perfect peace” is actually “shalom shalom,” and in Hebrew, when words are repeated, it accentuates the meaning. It shows how much God loves and cares for us, because he doesn’t just give us assurance once, he gives it to us a second, a third time, until we are perfectly reassured in him. God is the source of perfect peace, and in order to be kept in that place, our minds must be “stayed.” The Hebrew word is “sawmak,” and it comes from the root “to prop,” and has the image of “to lean upon, take hold of, to sustain.”    Most of the time, we keep our minds “stayed on” whatever gives us a sense of security. When our minds wander to the things we cannot control, we drift away from the place of perfect peace, away from focusing on the Lord, sometimes because we would rather trust in ourselves than in God. No wonder we feel anxious! Trust in God begins in our minds. It is a conscious decision we continuously make in our daily lives whatever our emotional state might be. We cannot control our emotions, but we can control our thoughts. When we keep our mind stayed on him, we can receive the promise of being kept in perfect peace.   Lord God, Thank you for living in me through your Spirit. May my thoughts return to you whenever I begin to focus on the things that are outside my control and fill my mind with worry. Thank you that I am safe in your care. Amen.   Throughout This Day: Whenever you begin to feel anxious, seize the opportunity to bring every worry to your gracious Father, knowing he cares for you and has it already all planned out.