Eight Ways that we Forfeit God's Peace / Mrs Angee England

Mrs Angee England

Pastor's Wife

Choice Hills Baptist Church

Pahrump, NV

I would like to share a devotion with you that God gave me last year when I was struggling with HIS peace in my life.   It is derived from Elizabeth Elliot.

                Eight Ways That We Forfeit God's Peace

1. Resent God's Ways - I was resenting what God had done, and was doing in my life.  I questioned God.  I complained and murmured over everything that was happening in my life.  I often felt like the children of Israel, when they complained to God about bringing them out of Egypt. Not only was I complaining to God, but to my family as well, especially my husband.  It was affecting everything and everyone in my life.  The Lord does not take murmuring and complaining lightly, and we are commanded to do ALL things without murmurings ,and disputings: (Phil. 2:14)  I had to be reminded that God's ways and thoughts are not ours. (Isaiah 55:8&9)  His timing is perfect, and as His children He has in mind what is best for us.  My husband always says that, " God is never too late, never too early, but ALWAYS on time.  Don't forfeit God's Peace in your life by resenting what He is trying to do in your life.

2.  Worry - It's easy to say " don't worry" , but harder to do.  I come from a family of worriers!  My mom taught us well to worry. ( which she isn't proud of)  God tells us not to worry, and to consider the lilies. ( Mt. 6:28-33)  I worry about what we do, what we don't do.  What could happen, and things that may never happen. Worry will always rob us of our peace.  Worry never changes anything, but rather makes things worse.. Understand that God truly loves us more than we can comprehend, and He's in control. A friend of mine once said, 

       "  If your gonna worry, don't pray,  If you pray, don't worry"    

.  Don't worry and pray.  It will rob you of your peace every time.  Jesus cares about every detail of our life.

3.  Only pray about those things that you can't handle -   If there is one thing that I am learning is that I can't handle anything on my own.  Even what we think is the simple things in life, needs to be talk to, to Our Lord. (Phil. 4:6-7)

4.  Refuse to accept the things that God does -  God will give us trials to strengthen us.  He will allow strife to come into our lives to teach us.  He will bring us to our knees when we defy him and He takes us through things that are out of our control, to teach us "WHO" is in control.  So in all of these things, times, or seasons that we go through we must accept what it is that He is doing in our life.  (Matt. 11:29-30) 

5.  Looking to others first for answers instead of God -  It is so easy sometimes to pick up the phone and cry out to a friend or family member for answers before we even go to God.  Although God does say it is good to seek Godly counsel, we need to go to Him first and let Him direct our ways.  Jeremiah 17:5

6.  Doubt God's Word - We doubt that God will do what He says in His word for us.  He will do it for others, but we often doubt that He will do it for me. (Prov.3:5&6)  Don't forfeit God's peace in your life because you are doubting Him.

7.  Rule our own lives - We forfeit our peace by thinking that we know what is best for us -  I have often done this with medication!  I think that I don't need this, or the amount that is prescribed to me.  I try to rule, instead of obeying what God has told me to do.  Jesus needs to be the one who rules everything in our life.

8.  Carry all our burdens ourselves-  We often think we don't need to give them to The Lord, or we give it to Him and take it back.  We recently had a missionary come to our church that preached on comfort and he said that everyone has a story, and we need to use our story to help others! So cast your burdens on Jesus and let Him direct you to who needs your help or who you can help.  I Peter 5:7

Jesus was a man of great peace. He remained silent before accusers, and He was gentle with sinners.  He even ask God to forgive those who put Him to death.  As Christians we have the same capability to have that same peace.  Let the peace of God rule in your heart, by not forfeiting His peace. Col.3:5