I've been in a wrestling match for the past year or so...grappling with some concerns. It has been ongoing. A few weeks ago I was talking with God again about the fears that seemed to be always lurking. I felt compelled to tell him again how he could work out those issues for me. I had a few good plans he could choose from. But, instead, in weariness I poured out my heart to him. "Lord, You put into me the heart of a mother. You gave me a natural concern for my children and their well being. You understand those natural feelings and fears. I need some relief!" His response came in a mental picture for me. I saw myself laying down a heavy load at what I knew were his feet. He was telling me that I needed to put down the Natural. ...to surrender the natural feelings and inclinations and responses. It would only be when I put those things down that I would be able to receive what he had for me... something better... something higher. The Super-natural.
This was not a new concept for me. I had experienced this earlier in my adult life in a very powerful way, when having "a peace that surpasses understanding" went from something I believed to be true to something I knew was true... from intellectual knowledge to experiential knowledge. But, I can be a forgetful people. God is faithful to re-mind me.
I don't want to (or need to) be dead to Rest In Peace. Neither do you. It wasn't God's plan for us that we live in the fear and hopelessness and despair that we see all around us. He has provided a peace that is so perfect and powerful and so complete that it leaves no room for any of that other stuff. It is a peace we can be restful in. Now.
If you are experiencing some fear or dis-ease about something or even the "natural" chaos of pre-Christmas time, take a moment and be still. Lay it down at God's feet. When your arms and hands are emptied of the burden, ask Him to fill you with his presence and his peace that defies circumstance or logic. It's Super-natural.
R.I.P.
#peacethatsurpassesunderstanding #Godspeace #shalom #layyourburdendown #restinpeace #supernaturalpeace