As I’ve been working through and refining my goals for 2014, I’ve chosen a word that I want to define this coming year for me: PEACE.
In general, last year was not very peaceful for our family. It was quite the opposite.
I used to think that I would only have true peace when difficult things stopped happening, when our circumstances turned around and all was good again. But during the hardest year of my life, I learned that I could have peace in the midst of the storm.
The only way we can truly experience peace in our lives is when we completely surrender our life and our circumstances to God, and trust Him.
It’s definitely not always easy. In fact, holding onto peace can be quite challenging, especially when you’re experiencing great heartache or trouble. But it is possible. Peace is not usually something that just happens. It is something we have to actively pursue on a daily basis.
Let me clarify, peace is easily attainable. God wants all of us to walk in peace, it is a gift that he freely gives and withholds from no one. But too often our thoughts, emotions, our need for answers, our struggle for control, etc. stand in the way of that.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” – Isaiah 26:3-4
Peace is a promise. And God always keeps his promises. All we need to do is trust him.
That is one of my major goals this year, to walk in complete PEACE. For me, this means saying NO to worry, fear, anxiety, stress, my need and desire to know what “the plan” is, expectations of perfection, and my need for the approval of others. And it means saying YES to trusting and being still and knowing that HE is God.
What word would you like to define 2014 for you? If you have no idea, I encourage you to take some time to think on this carefully. And feel free to come back and share in the comments below what your word is for the year.
I pray that this next year is peaceful for you as well. May God’s peace wrap around you like a fuzzy blanket on a cold winter’s day (such as today) and may it stay with you throughout the year.
[The same day that I decided that "Peace" was going to be my word for this year, Jonathan found one of my favorite mugs, pictured above, that I had misplaced. I loved that little confirmation, and I look forward to drinking my coffee or tea from this mug throughout the year as a reminder.]
