Three Ways to Improve Your Life by Living in Peace and not Pieces
Contentment
comes when there is peace in the presence of pain and problems.
Why is my life such a mess?
I did not sign up for this!
I just do not have enough hours in the day!
How many
times have you ever said or thought one of the above statements? While I am sure you would like to live a
peaceful and productive life, how often are you left feeling crushed and in
pieces? I know your secret. In fact, it is my secret too. You do not want the world to know that your
fragile life, like a piece of dinnerware, has slipped out of your hands, and
shattered on the hard kitchen floor.
What are we
doing wrong?
It becomes
obvious to us that our lives are spiraling out of control. Yet, that is to be
expected as we frantically multi-task, run here and there, meet deadlines,
return phone calls, clean our houses, and search through emails all while being
everything to everyone! We feel like we are always trying to ‘catch up’. When
we actually do get caught up, new tasks appear before we even have time to take
a deep breath.
Living a
life in pieces threatens to steal the victorious life that God intends for each
of us to live.
If we are
ever going to have peace while being consumed and overworked then we must use
the following passage of scripture and the three points below as a guide. Philippians
4:6-7 (KJV) says be careful for nothing; but in every
thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of
God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1. Get Rid of Anxiousness
Be careful
for nothing can also be translated as be anxious for nothing. It is really hard
not to be anxious. Especially when it comes to things that are important to us.
We spend a lot of time dealing with anxiety but Matthew 6:27 (KJV) asks which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his
stature? Simply put, can we even add an hour to our lives
by being anxious? The answer is no, we cannot.
2. Pray More
The Word
says through prayer and petition which means to share your requests with Him.
In the beginning it may be as simple as “Lord, help me to better schedule my
day and give me your peace as I do it.” He will honor you for taking the time
to meet with Him. That may not be a one-time prayer, you may have to pray it
daily. That is petition.
Although our
lives are busy, we have to deliberately make time to pray. You may be thinking
that your day-to-day schedule is already maxed out, but you will find that
peace will begin to enter into your body as you spend time with God.
You need
peace, right? Well, then you must make sacrifices. You may start by giving Him
a few minutes in the morning, in the car, or on your lunch break.
When you put
forth the effort to look, you will find the time. You would be surprised what a
few minutes in His presence will do for you. He will give you more energy to
maximize the day. He may give you fresh eyes to see your schedule in a
different way; revealing to you ways to gain some time back. He may send you
help to lighten your load. One thing is for sure, you will never know until you
make time and try.
3. Be Thankful
Not only are
we told to make our requests known to God through prayer, but we are to do it
with thanksgiving. I know you feel overwhelmed because you are working two
jobs, and raising a family, but you still have something to be thankful for. I
know your leadership role has you stretched too thin and people pull on you all
day, but you still have something to be thankful for. Begin by thanking Him for
the job and/or family He has given you. Keep in mind that there are people who
are constantly looking for a job and several others who would love to have a
family.
When you
take the time to think about it, there are so many things to actually be
grateful for. As you begin to think about all that He has done for you, thankfulness
will move peace right into your heart and move anxiousness right out.
There will
always be problems in life and there will be seasons of pain as well. It is
during those times that we must cling to God more tightly than ever before. As
we cling to Him, we must refuse to be anxious, pray more than ever before, and
be thankful. Even if the pain does not
go right away or the problem is not solved immediately, He promises that His
peace will keep you. I cannot think of a
better way to be kept.
I want to hear from YOU!
Question: What is keeping you from experiencing God's peace in your life?
Your Sister in Christ,
Prayer: Heavenly Father, We come today asking that you put the pieces of our lives back together. Make everything that is wrong within us right and flood us with your peace. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.
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