Peace to you!

Then on that same first day of the week, when it was evening, though the disciples were behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace to you! So saying, He showed them His hands and His side. And when the disciples saw the Lord they were filled with joy (delight, exultation, ecstasy, rapture). John 20:19-20 AMP

Can you remember a time in your life when you lacked peace? It may have been years ago, or yesterday, or maybe even today. You may have felt tense, agitated, unsettled or despondent. These are all feelings that Jesus came to give us freedom from.

Now while they were talking about this, Jesus Himself took His stand among them and said to them, Peace (freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin) be to you! Luke 24:36 AMP

Every day, every moment, we have the opportunity to cast our cares on to Jesus, and receive His peace in return.

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). Psalm 55:22 AMP

Here is how The Message version puts it

Pile your troubles on GOD's shoulders - he'll carry your load, he'll help you out. He'll never let good people topple into ruin. Psalm 55:22 The Message

Sometimes though, and I don't know why, we have trouble giving those burdens, those troubles, completely to God. So in the process of learning how to completely surrender them to Him, we often have to make a choice to continually surrender them, until we hold them no more. I suppose, once again, it comes down to the issue of trust. Are we really able to trust that God has it sorted and He will help us out?

Question for today, is there something that is robbing you of peace, that you are having difficulty putting (and leaving) on God's shoulders? Let's take some time to ask God for forgiveness for not fully trusting Him, and then give that situation to Him for the last time. If tomorrow you feel that peace going, remind yourself, "No, I am not going to let go of this peace. I have given that situation to God. He has it, He is helping me, He is for me."

Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 AMP

Finally this is a beautiful worship song that I often play in times of needing to receive more of God's peace in my life - The Benediction by Matt Redman.