Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Growing up, I had an incurable case of the gimmes. I would always walk through stores and just look at all of the new things that I could possibly want, and I would make my birthday lists and my Christmas lists and make sure that my parents knew every single thing that I wanted. It was always shiny. I was always anticipating tearing open the wrapping paper, opening up boxes, and getting something brand new that was all my own.
Now, as the years have gone by, I can honestly say that those gimmes have really taken a back seat. As I look back to all the gifts that I've gotten over the years, the ones that stand out, the ones that I've kept, the ones that mean the most are the gifts that somebody gave me that was something of their own.
A Gift to Cherish
I think back to my days growing up with my family camping, and I would watch my dad use his pocket knife for just about everything. We'd go fishing and he'd gut the fish and tie the fishing line on there to hold them in the water. We'd be out building a fire, and he'd shave off some wood shavings so that we had kindling to start. He'd be making breakfast and he'd be opening up packages with that knife. It had so many fond memories.
I remember one day I needed a knife. I asked him to borrow his, and he handed it to me, and I used it. Then I went to give it back to him, and he just looked at me and he said, "Keep it. I want you to enjoy it." That meant so much to me in that moment. All the memories of watching him use it carried into that gift. It was more than just, here's a thing. It was, here's something that I cherish, and now I want you to cherish."
His Peace
I thought about that story as I was reading through our verse today.
It comes from 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verse 16. Paul says, "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you His peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all."
God has blessed me with so many things in my life. It's honestly hard to keep track of it all. But the things that mean the most are the things that I know are rightfully His, that He has chosen to share with me. Things like His Spirit that He has given to me, to us, His church, to dwell in us, to be His holy temple. Things like His righteousness that Jesus clothes us with so that we might be made right before God. In this verse today, He gives us His peace.
I want you to think about that. He doesn't give us some second-rate peace. He doesn't give us some half-idea of peace that's going to fall apart when things get really, really bad. He gives us His peace.
Cast Your Worries Onto God
Take a moment. Think about the most stressful thing going on in your life right now. Actually take the moment to think about that, because oftentimes we'll shove it aside hoping that ignorance is bliss. But we know that that doesn't work. Let it see the light of day and then combat that with this truth: God's peace, His personal peace, is accessible to you right now. You don't have to earn it. He's giving it to you as a gift.
Here's a couple ways that we can make sure that God's peace remains in our life:
First, we need to be always in the presence of God. See, peace doesn't mean that conflict isn't going to arise in our life. It's always going to be there. True peace from God, the peace of God, means that we will always have His presence in the midst of conflict. If we want to experience genuine peace, we've got to make sure that we're always abiding in Jesus.
Next, reorient your perspective onto eternity. The Apostle Paul knew what it meant to face trials and persecution for his faith. I always think about what he says in Romans chapter 8, verse 18. He says that his present sufferings are nothing in comparison to future glory. That's genuine peace to go, I know right now is really difficult, but when I think about eternity, when I think about heaven, when I think about spending all of my days in the joy of my Savior and my God, I can have peace right now because this is just a small momentary affliction in the grand scheme of things.
Lastly, be actively casting your worries onto God. We can't carry our worries and hold on to peace. Something's going to give. God calls us to give Him all of our cares. He's going to deal with them. Just lay them on Him and trust in His good presence. Because God wants to give you not just any peace—He wants to give you His peace.
