Fear No Fear

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27, MEV). Jesus loves us enough to give us peace that we can engage. When things happen, we have a choice of how we respond. When catastrophic things happen, we have the same choice. We do NOT need to fear. That does NOT need to be our response. That doesn’t mean stay in the burning building or don’t seek a proper place to ride out an earthquake. It doesn’t mean staying at your home against a lawful evacuation order (such as with wild fires) or staying in a warzone when everything in you is saying pack up and flee. It means that we don’t need to do the actions which are wise and good while crying, fearful, and distressed. We can CHOOSE to have peace no matter WHAT is going on around us. It’s more than staying calm in a crisis. It’s staying peaceful when nothing around us promotes peace. It’s choosing to recognize who lives within us and in whose hand we have our own. It’s choosing to trust in our belief that God is MORE THAN ENOUGH for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that is going on around us. There may be no outward reason for peace, and yet we will have it. There may be no reason at ALL for peace, and yet we will have it. It will go beyond what is explainable. It will go beyond what is understandable. It is simply the choice to rest in Jesus and trust God. Period. That is what brings peace: His presence. It is a gift to us that we should never reject, never let go of, and always encourage. Singing praise (inside or outside of our minds) in times of trouble helps us to focus on Him and LISTEN to His instructions. Choose peace. Choose to trust in Jesus. Choose God. Every time.