Desires of the Heart

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Peace: tranquility, wholeness, fulfillment, harmony, security, well being, the absence of chaos and striving, a restored relationship with God

Do you have peace in your heart? You might think, what does that even mean. Defining peace is a monumental task. In our culture today we often see peace superficially. We may say, “I just want some peace and quiet in this house.” We hear of the idealistic idea of peace on earth. All the while our hearts are longing for a different kind of peace. Peace has such a deep and profound meaning that it is hard for us to grasp. Peace can seem so foreign and out of reach with all the chaos, war, disease, and strife around us.

As hard as it is to imagine, earth was in perfect peace at its beginning. God’s creation was good, beautiful, and without blemish. Man and nature lived in harmony. However, sin entered this world and along with it, its curse that ripped away peace. Throughout the Old Testament the people could attain peace through sacrifices for their sin, but these sacrifices were not enough to sustain. Praise God, He had a better plan to restore peace on earth. He sent us a perfect sacrifice, His one and only Son. His death on the cross would be the final atonement for sin. The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ desires to fill our hearts, to satisfy our longings, to make us whole, and restore our broken relationship with the Father God.

So what is our part in this plan? Simply by believing in our hearts that we are sinners in need of a Savior and confessing with our mouths that Jesus Christ is Lord we can have a restored relationship with the creator, Father God. This my friends is true peace. A peace that surpasses all understanding. For when our hearts are made right with God we have eternal security. You may be thinking, I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior but sometimes I do not feel His peace. Unfortunately, this is all to common to those of us on our journey here on earth. We can loose sight of our true source of peace amidst the trials and troubles that we face. Jesus tells us that these sorrows are a part of our walk. The whole earth is affected by the curse of sin. But He reassures us that He has overcome the world. The is world is not our final destination. God’s plan includes restoring peace on earth. All will be made right in due time, His time.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

What a joy to think of our heavenly home. But that too may seem so far away for those deep in despair here today. Rest assured our peace is not just waiting for us in Heaven, it is here right now. We can choose to let this peace fill our hearts. He offers this peace freely but we must be willing to receive it. Each day we must sit in His presence and be reminded of all He has done. We must look away from our struggles and fix our eyes on Him. Trusting Him with our lives and our hearts.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3

When the doubts, fears, and worries begin to creep in, we must turn to Him in prayer. Take it all to Him, our deepest darkest thoughts and anxieties. Allow Him to enter into our mess and calm the chaos. Thanking Him and rejoicing in the good things will shift our minds and hearts. Remember not to just thank Him for the “blessings” we can see in our lives, but for all that He is doing that we can not see, and more importantly for Who He Is. The one who created us, and loved us enough to save us from ourselves, He is worthy of all glory, praise, and honor.

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4, 6-9

Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Help us to fix our eyes on you, to bring you all of our burdens, and trust in your plan. Fill us with your peace, a peace that surpasses all understanding. Guide us to share this peace with the hearts of our fellow men. Amen.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

Dig Deeper: Read Colossians 3:1-17, Isaiah 26

Praise & Worship