The God of Peace With Me

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, 
because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3

Chronic illness is hard. It’s isolating and draining. At times, my circumstances overwhelm me, and I cry… a lot. I recently remembered this post and printed it out again to keep my focus on the truth. It helps the tears to slow. I’m reposting it now with the hope that it will help someone else as well.

A pdf version of the original post is provided at the end of the post for anyone desiring a printed version.

• God is sovereign and in control. (Job 42:2, Matthew 19:26, Isaiah 43:13, Romans 9:19-21)
• He has preordained all of my days. (Psalm 139:16, Acts 4:28, Ephesians 2:10, Job 14:5)
• He sees and knows what is going on right now and has allowed it for a reason. He has a plan for me. (Psalm 139:16, Jeremiah 29:11)
• He is wise and knows how all of this will fit into the big picture. He has me right where He wants me to be. (Romans 8:28, Colossians 1:16-17)
• He is with me. (Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 23, Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 28:20, Joshua 1:9)
• He cares about what is happening, and He loves me. (Isaiah 54:10, Romans 8:38-39, Matthew 10:29-31)
• He will hold onto me. (John 6:39, Isaiah 41:10)
• He will provide help each day. (Lamentations 3:22-23, Matthew 6:26-33, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 23)
• He will provide strength for me to endure this and hold onto my faith to the end. (Ephesians 6:10-12, Psalm 46:1, Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 41:10, John 16:33, Psalm 18:2, Psalm 91:1-2, Philippians 4:13, Habakkuk 3:17-19)
• Even though this doesn’t feel good right now, God is working good in it. (Romans 8:28)
• I am saved, not in hell where I deserve to be. Anything this side of that is pure grace; I have blessings. (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23)
• There will come a day when all the pain, tears, and sin will be gone. (Revelation 21:3-4)
• It is a short time until then. I don’t have to have what I want now; I can wait. (Hebrews 10:37, John 16:16, 1 Peter 1:6-9)
• THEREFORE – I can trust Him and not be afraid. (Psalm 56, Psalm 91, Philippians 4:6-7, John 14:27, Psalm 94:19, Isaiah 43:1, Psalm 23:4, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 27:1, Isaiah 41:13-14, Psalm 46:1)

Dwelling on these truths when I am discouraged or distressed may feel mechanical at first. However, the Holy Spirit uses them to remind me that God knows what He is doing, loves me, and is trustworthy. I can rest as a weaned child does with his mother (Psalm 131) because the God of peace is with me.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9

pdf version of this post (12 pt. font): Dwell on What is True

pdf version of this post (16 pt. font): Dwell on What is True (Large Print)

When the Questions Stop

After years of insomnia, I’ve recently experienced periods of comparatively good sleep. However, sometimes my system gets upset, the battle for sleep returns, and I’m scared like a child whose nightmares return. 

I look at the clock and groan when I see it’s 10 pm, and I’ve only slept for an hour. “Why am I awake already? Is it going to be one of those nights again?”

“What happened? Why did I suddenly stop sleeping again? What is wrong with my body now, and how can I fix it?” After trying to resolve this for such a long time, I’m at a loss for answers… and frustrated… and crying. 

“How am I going to make it through the day? Will my body be able to heal from illness without any sleep? Why does this keep happening?” The questions continue to come, but they remain unanswered.  

Then, a still, small voice whispers… Psalm 131.

The memorized words combine with my own as I slowly work to apply them to myself. 

“O Lord, my heart is proudly thinking I deserve to have answers to my questions, and my eyes haughtily see the sleep I feel I deserve.”

“I’m involving myself in the great matter of how to heal my body, but the solution is too difficult for me.”

“Please help me to compose and quiet my soul so that I may rest in your arms like a child does in the lap of her loving parent.”

“Oh my soul, trust in the Lord in this sleepless moment and forever.”

As my questions stop, I notice my body relaxing and resting. Although I’m not asleep, I am peaceful because God has everything under His wise and loving control. 

Thanks to the Lord

It is Thanksgiving 2020 today. Many may feel there is little reason to be grateful considering the many difficulties we have experienced this year. However, the difficulties actually serve to magnify how abundantly grateful we should be.

This earthly world is only temporary. For those who accept the gift of salvation through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross, there is a world to come that is void of pain and strife and sin and tears. Eyes turned on this magnificent blessing will be washed with joy and peace, causing the things of this earth to become dim. These eyes will shine with gratitude for God’s everlasting mercy.

Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His mercy is everlasting.
Psalm 106:1

My Escape

Night and day.
Night and day.
The pain never ceases.
Grinding, aching, stabbing, throbbing.
My body is not yet redeemed.

Made for Another World

The mother rabbit stared at me, blades of grass extending from both sides of her mouth, as she waited to place the final covering over the nest she had recently made for her newborns. Confident that it was safe to proceed, she gently worked to secure her babies into the bed of her own fur. My heart soared as I watched this tender act of love.

In All Things

I recently posted the following message on my FaceBook page: ** Coronavirus Alert ** Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible. My reason for doing so is the same as for this post. My impression is that many Christians are misled on what is important in our current situation with the coronavirus.

Be Safe

As I prepared to end the phone call, the salesperson said, “Be safe.” I thought this was odd since I hadn’t heard this phrase used in impersonal conversations. However, it is now common to my daily life, including the plethora of emails I receive each day that close with “Be safe.” I find myself wondering what each person is actually suggesting I do to be safe.

Your Will Be Done

With a highly contagious virus roaming the earth, I find myself resisting. I have been sick for the past several years and am just starting to climb out of the pit of pain and fatigue. My fleshly desire is for the slowly progressing momentum to continue so that I can regain enough function to return to some of my former activities. The prospect of contracting a virus that would tax my body and likely reduce it back to a quivering lump of jelly is not my will. Yet…

Sinful Discontent

Current events and the resulting “at home” status in many areas of the world tempt us to desire other than what we have. We want to be able to choose where we go, when we can go there, and what we can do once we get there. However, we must remember key truths about God in order to prevent sinful discontent from sprouting and flourishing. My intent is to briefly examine these truths over the course of several blog posts.

Dwell on What is True – Continued

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3

Current events tempt us to become discontent and afraid, but a focus on biblical truths helps a believer to compose and quiet the soul. This written list reminds me of what I know to be true and prompts right thinking. I am republishing it now from a previous post after hearing from several who are afraid during this time. A pdf version without links is provided at the end of the post for anyone desiring a printed version.