“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or peace.” Isaiah 9:6-7
Christmas is the most magical and, ironically, one of the most stressful times. Add to the mounting things to get done the feelings of dread from the news headlines. We can’t escape the knowledge that many people are suffering through war, death, fear, depression, hopelessness, or loneliness. Christmas is not always merry for everyone. I can feel sadness roll over my soul and reluctantly fade into the background. All these things threaten to steal my Christmas peace and joy. It feels overwhelming. Do you ever feel that way? I feel extraordinarily small in an ocean of big problems. True peace seems like a fairy tale bigger than Santa Claus. I learned God’s way of restoring peace and hope in three words.
“Look at Me.”
These three words adorn my office wall at work. They remind me that peace, hope, and perseverance are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I can’t talk myself into them nor work hard enough to attain or maintain them. The Holy Spirit reminds me that He is not powerless in a crazy world with crazy calendars. I am not on my own, and He will not let me give up hope. Since God did not spare His Son, how will He not also, with Christ, give us His perfect peace and lasting joy? He will.
The Father knows the end from the beginning, and I can trust His goodness even when many things are not good. Assurance of God’s faithfulness washes over my soul, quiets my fears, and fills me with new hope and courage to trust God.
Remember, as believers, WE ALWAYS HAVE PEACE WITH GOD because God placed us in Christ. But WE MAY NOT ALWAYS FEEL THE PEACE OF GOD. Christ is our Prince of Peace. That is more than a title. Christ is the Vine that renews, redeems, and restores our souls with a peace that defies circumstances, inspires courage to go on or embrace change, provides wisdom to precede, and removes doubt. The branch’s job is to “Look at me,” which means “trust me.”
Our default is to trust ourselves or perhaps look to others or the next thing to meet our needs. At best, this is distracting, busy work that leaves nagging angst lingering in our souls. Later, when life quiets down, powerful feelings resurface to torment us again. So, how do we trust God to establish us in THE PEACE OF God?
I learned to R.E.E.D. Recognize. Evaluate. Express. Decide.
“Look at Me” requires an intentional decision to keep our eyes on Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
- R—Recognize and label your feelings. (When a feeling is unnamed, it is magnified and tormenting. It lingers and overshadows even joyous occasions.)
- E—Evaluate your feelings for truth. (Label a lie and call it a lie. Life is not out of control, even if others are. God is in control. Just because life feels crazy doesn’t mean that you are not in Christ, who is in God, who is in control and is working out His perfect will in you and the world.)
- E—Express the truth to God. (When we share the lie and confess the truth to the Father, He washes our souls of all unrighteous thoughts and feelings. Moreover, it fills us with inner peace, hope, and perseverance even when circumstances seem hopeless. Nothing is impossible for God. Nothing.)
- D—Decide to speak and live the truth. (Because of Christ, you start at the victory line. You are in the Head, and therefore, you are not the tail. You are not powerless, alone, or unloved. Confess that God is good and at work in your life. Thank God for the Helper that works in you all day long.)
“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3
REED may seem over simplistic, but it works miraculously, and I am glad it is simple. When things are overwhelming, I lack the energy or clarity of mind for complex solutions or strategies. Stuffing my feelings and lies hurts me. Venting my feelings and frustrations hurts others, too. Neither stuffing, brooding, nor venting helps, but when I express my feelings to God, He restores my soul—my thoughts and feelings, which motivates a healthier mindset and decisions. What He does for one of His children, He does for all.
R.E.E.D. Recognize. Evaluate. Express. Decide.
I recognize that some of you may need a mentor to help you learn a new way to respond to powerful emotions. Reach out to a safe person. Sharing opens the door to healing. If you don’t have someone, we would love to share a pathway to victory that has changed most of our clients and students forever. We are only a [click away.] lifecentergr.org
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
Merry always & happy everything,
Theresa Slabbekoorn, Life Center Board and Staff