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And
let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed
you were
called in one body; and be thankful.
-Colossians 3:15
A
west coast doctor took an informal poll among his patients to find the
number one wish they would like to have granted. The tally was very
interesting. Eighty-seven percent said that “peace of mind” was
their paramount goal.
Who
doesn’t want to have peace of mind? Imagine no anxiety or fear running
rampant inside your heart and mind. Think of living life in freedom
where you are no longer captive to your endless striving to do
everything just right. What if your dread of being punished and
penalized for your failures was washed away from your mind once and for
all? Clearly, the world cannot offer that sort of peace to you but there
is Someone who can. Friend, true, lasting peace of mind can be yours today
if you want it. Let me tell you how…
But
before I do, let me remind you that life on planet earth will never be
free of difficulties and heartache. This world runs on a cause and
effect system. Every action and deed committed by us and committed by
others will have an affect on both parties. There is no getting around
it. We may not see or experience those consequences immediately, but
they will inevitably surface. That’s why we are counseled by the
apostle Paul to love, forgive, and be kind to one another. You can be
certain that how we treat each other will either enhance or erode our
relationships. It’s just that simple. Consequently, all we can hope to
gain out of this world is an unstable and fluctuating peace of mind.
Fortunately,
there is a peace of mind that goes beyond the trying circumstances of
life and is not affected by daily hardships. The source of that peace is
the Person and completed work of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us “He
Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14). He provides the peace that
passes all understanding by assuring us of not only His great love for
us, but also of His complete acceptance of us. He does not want us
burdened and anxious about our relationship with Him. He wants us to
rest confidently in it, trusting solely in His performance, not ours.
So,
how can you have peace of mind today? The answer is two-fold.
First,
you must choose to put to death the notion that you can do anything to
gain or maintain your right standing with God. You need to give up on
that fantasy and leave it behind. I cannot emphasize this point enough.
In fact, you cannot move on to the second part of His solution without
establishing the first.
Someone
once wrote that “in acceptance lieth peace.” So, I guess the moment
has arrived for you to accept the fact that you are incapable of
justifying yourself before God and that His gift of righteousness is
sufficient. The gospel makes it clear that when it comes to actions,
deeds, and behavior, “there is NONE righteous” (Romans 3:10). It’s
not up to you to make yourself acceptable. But you can choose to accept
the fact that your right standing with God is completely up to His
doing…and He has already done so in Christ!
Second,
spend your mental energy reveling in all the spiritual blessings you
already have in Christ. Paul’s letters contain the most complete and
detailed revelation of what is now ours because of what God accomplished
in His Son. Dwell on these things. Saturate your mind with these truths.
Friend,
now more than ever, you need to “set your mind on the things above,
not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). Today is the
day to turn away from any message or messenger that is corrupting your
mind with another gospel, one that insists you can do even the smallest
thing to be right with the Lord. Your peace of mind is found in giving
up on your dog-and-pony-show for God and resting in the cross of your
Savior. Knowing what He has done for you and humbly accepting it is
where your peace is waiting to be enjoyed.
Jump
in with both feet right now and you will discover the proven power that
the gospel has to revolutionize your heart and mind! You’ll be glad
you did.
Grace and peace to
you always!
John
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