The Fruit of Peace

Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Peace.....resting in God

Typically we think of peace as the absence of irritation. It is less about real life lining up according to our desires and more about our desires lining up to real life.

Picture the scene described in Mark 4:35-41.....the disciples were on the Sea of Galilee, with Jesus in the boat asleep, when a wild storm came up. As the waves broke over the boat, threatening to sin it, they cried in terror to their sleeping Teacher, "Don't you care if we drown?" At this, Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and the waves, and questioned the disciples as to their lack of faith.

Stress & pressure that come from the storms of life have the abitlity to keep us awake at night and sometimes even make us unable to function during the day. How can we rest and be at peace while our "vessel" is being battered by the winds of life? Yet Jesus could sleep under such
circumstances! (Mark 4:38) Jesus knew what it was to rest in the middle of the storm. He knew He was safe in His Father's arms! His confidence.....rest....and yes peace was in the hands of the Father.

Peace is the result of resting in God. Peace comes from resting in a relationship that holds us in the midst of life's storms and in the momentarty calm of their aftermath.

Peace is not the absence of problems/storms in life but it is the very Presence of God in our lives.

True peace peels away the "nice" expectation that we'll feel calm in the absence of irritation and instead embraces the calm that comes from resting in the midst of it.

John 14:27- "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (NIV)

“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." (NLT)

Here are a few other verses to encourage you to rest in your relationship with Christ and find peace....

Romans 5:13 - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:33 - "The God of peace be with you all."

Philippians 4:7 - "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:9 - "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

P.S. - Eat some blueberries today.....I hear that they are a great source of anti-oxidants that prevent cancer and other diseases as well as possessing antiaging and anti-infection properties. Blueberries reduce the results of stress in our lives......they taste good too:)!