I am sure I have shared this passage before, but all good things are worth repeating-right?

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast (a mind that is focused and committed on God) because he trusts and takes refuge in You (with hope and confident expectation).

I was told recently that I have a story to tell…something to say that’s worth sharing….something worth hearing…

Having that thought on my mind and a burden on my heart to offer encouragement to those that are hurting, I found I paused at this Scripture today.

If you know me or follow me, you know I have been pretty verbal about my own personal issues, struggles, worries, fears, pain…

I am not immune to the hurts of this broken world.

So, as I sit on my couch sipping on my coffee this morning, I found myself wondering what it is other people are doing when the pains of this life come crashing down around them.

In the middle of the crisis we certainly respond in a certain way- much more of an automatic response to survive.

Once the crisis settles and we are left adjusting to the shock or trauma that had just inflicted us, we respond in another manner.

In my opinion, THAT response becomes our choice and is paramount to how we begin to move forward.

In fact, that choice, can become the catalyst to form the foundation of how we will automatically respond in the next crisis.

Follow me?

My sister in law died ten years ago this August. My response to her death became truly survival. I did what I knew to do to keep myself from drowning.

The problem, though, was my efforts were not good enough for the monumental pain of guilt, regret, grief, and unresolved issues that crashed over me.

I did what I had done in the past but since I had never experienced this kind of agony before I was not prepared to deal with it.

My survival skills were seriously lacking and the cracks in my efforts started to show.

I sought counseling help because I had had good success with it a few years earlier.

That outside help was good but not enough…and I could see that truth.

Finally, I sought answers from the One I was angriest at…most disappointed in…confused by…

I was never going to know why this senseless death had happened until I asked the right questions to the right person. I would never know unless I asked.

I had to talk to God.

I wasn’t looking to follow Him.

I wasn’t looking to make any big lifestyle changes.

I was looking for peace.

And I found the source of peace in my time of asking questions.

Since those days, I have had my heart broke a multitude of times over…and these last 2 years could quite easily be the worst on my scale for constant stress and suffering in all ways- physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Figuratively speaking, I have been beaten up, kicked while I am down, trampled on, crushed, bloodied, battered, bruised…

Ever feel like that?

And just when one area of life seemed to lesson its attack another area would rear up ready for battle against this battle worn woman..

What did I do?

More importantly, what can you do?

I knew from the past to seek counsel when the going got rough- I needed outside help from someone trained to help with a crisis.

I knew from the past to seek the source of peace….and to keep seeking Him.

If you read the Bible and do daily devotions, that is great BUT do it more.

If you listen to Christian music already, that is great BUT do it more and do it loudly.

If you go to church, that is great BUT do it more.

If you have a good circle of friends that is great BUT reach out to them more. Be honest with them.

If you have been involved in acts of service toward others, that is great BUT do it more.

If you do not serve others, then figure out how to get started and do it as often as you can.

If you find that sitting home and thinking about how sick you are, how sad you are, how dark your days seem, how hopeless life is, how bad your situation is…ask yourself: does that help you feel better?

My bet, from personal experience I can say this with absolute honesty, is the answer is no it does not.

Then go to the source of peace and stay there until your heart settles.

When I trust the Lord and take refuge in His company (that means I CHOOSE to spend time in the Word for longer than 30 minutes) I am in peace.

When I stay in His presence through times of worship and prayer (and that means more than once a week for an hour at my local church), I am in peace.

When I rest in His arms after a good honest cry, I am in peace.

When I listen to music, watch a movie, read a book that reminds me of the Lord and fills my mind with good things…I am in peace.

I vowed to myself almost ten years ago that I would do anything to keep the peace I had found in Jesus Christ.

It isn’t easy.

It isn’t a magic fix.

It is time consuming but not time wasting.

It looks different than what the world does to “survive”.

But, I stopped wanting to merely survive I wanted to learn how to thrive.

What would you do for peace in your heart and soul? Will you seek the Source and keep seeking?

I want to be kept in perfect peace.

I would encourage you, as a place to start, to

• look up Bible verses about the word “peace”…Look each and every one of them up
• highlight them
• read them in other Bible versions through the “youversion” Bible App
• memorize them
• write them on scraps of paper and put them all over your house as a reminder
• read the back story about those verses…

And tell me you didn’t find the Source.

When crisis strikes next or the waves of suffering crash over you…do it all again.

Be encouraged in the Lord my friends…He has given us the ultimate Comforter and Counselor to help us in our time of need…However, we are the ones who need to make the time for Him so He can do His work in us.