To be honest…

I’ve been dealing with some things—some unexpected issues in my body.

Do you ever feel like your body just doesn’t want to cooperate?

It can be frustrating.

And to be honest…

I’ve been trying not to worry or fret when these issues are at their worst.

Thankfully the issues come and go.

But to be honest…

I’ve tried to keep these issues mostly to myself and only to a few others for a while, just waiting on the issue to resolve, go away. I’ve been trying not to put too much focus or attention on it.

Just trying to get through this momentary thing and live my life…

And yet somehow, lately these issues have been feeling as though they’re suddenly consuming my life, my thoughts…

I suppose I’ve started to feel the weight of it all.

And to be honest…

Lately over the last few weeks, I’ve felt as though my own strength has started to fail.

Can I be honest?

I suppose the issue has started to “seep into my mind” at times, without me even realizing it…

Sometimes the mind can grow weary, and before we know it, we can get ourselves into a mindset that doesn’t lead us into peace.

The enemy is subtle and sneaky.

So I was talking with the Lord about all of this last night, and He simply reminded me of the very practical, very much to the point, Philippians 4:6-9:

“Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, ⁷ then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.⁸ So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always. ⁹ Follow the example of all that we have imparted to you and the God of peace will be with you in all things.” (The Passion Translation)

⁸ “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. ⁹ The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you.” (AMP)

And I had to ask myself, I had to check my heart, I had to honestly check my mind…

“Am I really thinking on THESE things?”

In these kinds of times…

When we do all that we know to do…

And the “issues” don’t just go away…

And we realize that we might have to go through them and endure them for a little while longer…

We can know,

that His peace will come.

In His Word, He so clearly shows us how to be guarded by His peace.

He’s promised it. He’s prepared the way for it. It’s right there for us.

I love how the footnotes in my bible explain “peace”…

“Peace calms a troubling situation when explanations fail.”

And in the midst of His peace, in the middle of IT ALL, we can know, that His presence will teach us…

Protect us…

Help us to endure.

And He WILL make it ALL beautiful in His timing.

By the way, I love this music that I came across this morning, wanted to share it on here today…

Thank you for surrounding me with Your peace, Father. You’re teaching me how to step into it, how to walk in it, how to endure though these things, while being guarded and surrounded by Your peace.

-Heather ?