God’s perfect peace? My dear friend, Nan Trammell Jones, offers insight into that treasured state we all long for. Nan and I became friends through Twitter and Facebook several years ago. It quickly became evident that she had a heart tender to the Lord, and a gift for speaking His truth in a deeply personal way. We would love to hear your comments!
Guest Devotional
God’s Perfect Peace?
God’s perfect peace.
How do we obtain it? Is there a formula? Is it ours to keep or does it ebb and flow according to our mood? Our attitude?
I think about God’s peace often. I cherish it and desire its eternal presence. When my world fell apart a few years ago and my heart broke into a million silvery shards, I longed for His peace. My survival depended upon it.
And then, as I pressed into my Heavenly Father, I began to gain understanding.
One troubling morning, I discovered the following passage from one of my favorite devotionals, Streams in the Desert by L.E. Cowman:
“There is a part of the sea known as ‘the cushion of the sea.’ It lies beneath the surface that is agitated by storms and churned by the wind. It is so deep that it is a part of the sea that is never stirred. When the ocean floor in these deep places is dredged of the remains of plant or animal life, it reveals evidence of having remained completely undisturbed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
“The peace of God is an eternal calm like the cushion of the sea. It lies so deeply within the human heart that no external difficulty or disturbance can reach it. And anyone who enters the presence of God becomes a partaker of that undisturbed and undisturbable calm. ~ Arthur Tappan Pierson”
Isn’t that powerful?
I’m realizing that not only is the peace of God in me, but the God of peace is with me. His peace is mine. His peace is yours. Not as the world gives, but as our Father in heaven gives.
Perfect peace.
Complete peace.
Freely given is His peace “lying so deeply within the human heart that no external difficulty or disturbance can reach it.” His peace remains for the child of God, a deep cistern of calm in the midst of the fiercest storm.
Seek His Presence daily through prayer, praise, and reading of the Word. When we seek Him, we will find Him. And when we find Him, we will find His peace that passes all understanding.
Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” ~ John 16:33, AMP
About the author:
Nan Jones is an author/speaker who uses the words of her heart to assist fellow Christians in discovering the Presence of God in their darkest hour. Her book, The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife was a 2016 Selah finalist and her blog, Beyond the Veil, won first place in the Foundation Awards at the 2017 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Nan is also a monthly contributor to Inspire a Fire, a far-reaching inspirational blog. When Nan isn’t writing, she enjoys leading prayer retreats, teaching bible studies or sharing God’s faithfulness as keynote speaker for special events. You may visit Nan at her website: www.NanJones.com or her Facebook ministry page, Seeing Beyond The Veil. For personal communication you may email Nan at nan@nanjones.com
The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and LPC Bookstore
4 Comments
When the world would destroy you, that perfect peace in Him is your source of all strength.
After disaster hit my family, people would say to me: “You’re so strong” or “I don’t see how you do it”. My answer was always “I’m not strong, but I know where to lean, and that makes me look strong.”
Leaning on him is always our strength and peace.
Hugs to you, Nan. Thank you, Norma Gail, for posting this.
You’re welcome!
Judith, Thank you for undergirding me with your prayers all this time. God is doing a very good work. People tell me the same thing, “I don’t see how you can do this.” And I always tell them, “I can’t do it, but I know a Mighty God who can.” You are such a blessing. I love you, One of your many daughters of the heart <3
Today God is speaking peace to me. Seems everywhere I turn on social media this is the message I’m reading. Thank you sweet friends. 🙂