God's Perfect Peace

Amen! (photo credit: Flickr!)

     "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts you" (Isaiah 26:3).  It's a verse I've memorized in the past and held close to my heart when the trials come.  Yet, yesterday: this verse popped up on three different occasions.  Pretty "randomly" as the world would put it.  I saw it in the morning, but didn't think much more than: "Wow.  I remember that one.  That's a pretty neat verse!"  After a few hours though, my usual zest for life was dwindling.  Numerous circumstances out of my control had left me feeling completely unappreciated and under-valued.  Didn't anyone think that I was capable of something great?  Was nobody even paying attention to me?
     Although it's rarely like this, I snapped out of the mood quickly with a prayer of thanks to God.  He is the one who defines us.  He not only loves us, but he sees his children's faithfulness and rewards them.  He also sees us as beautiful-- amazing even-- because he crafted every inch of who we are, and despite every inch of who we are.  So, yesterday morning I cried out to him.  I told him how insignificant I felt in this world.  I told him how A.) going off to college and B.) getting injured and having to miss the season, have made it seem as if I've fallen off the face of the planet for everyone I respect, love, and seek to impress.

     In that momentary prayer though, God brought Isaiah 26:3 back to mind: You will keep [her] in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because [she] trusts you" (I hope changing the gender isn't blasphemy or something).  I can trust God.  He is always working for my good, and in that moment: he was also comforting me like no one else could.  It was peace, but not like the peace we often think of with hippies and deep relaxation.  God's peace is so awesome because it is there when we are in the worst of life's trials.  Perfect peace is a lot different than worldly peace.  Worldly peace puts the focus on how we can make things good enough or be good enough to finally take a break from the anxiety of life.  So where is our focus?
     Often, my focus is on getting things done so then I can relax and have peace. God should be our focus.  He is the one whose input on us really matters.  The good thing is: his input is always constant love.  No matter how insignificant you feel, he thinks you are incredibly valuable and infinitely the love of his heart.  How then can you worry about what might happen at school, or at work, or with a career?  There are so many other things to look at and be thankful for (RELATED: What I'm Grateful for on September 2).
     God is good all the time.  Sometimes it takes a little breakdown, or a little frustration to bring me back to that realization.  Not only is He good though; he is also ever forgiving and gracious.  Run back into his arms today and forget all the things the world says to you and about you.  He wants to keep you in perfect peace-- peace that doesn't fade in the storms or the waves of life.  That is how awesome our God is!