Day 20/30

I keep thinking....there is no earthly reason why I should have such peace in my life right now.  In spite of all the wonderfulness that our lives hold, my loved ones and I are in the midst of a long storm.  Some days it seems like it will never end....or won't end well.  So much of it is unfair and sometimes I think to myself...this must be what "the valley of the shadow of death" feels like.  Lately I have wondered why, when I am feeling pain and watching those I love in pain too, I still feel peace.  It didn't make sense to me how the two belonged together.  Until the last day or two...

I am studying peace in my morning devotions.  It's actually really a coincidence....or I guess I thought it was.  God seems to always have these kind of things planned out for me though.  I started re-reading through an old Bible study I did years ago because I needed to have some direction in my morning devotions.  My mind has just kept racing and I needed some structure so I didn't just sit there and not focus on anything in particular.  So the study I chose is called Living Beyond Yourself:  Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore.  I love Beth.  She is so good at teaching and reaching women.  Anyway...the fruit of the spirit just means the outward evidence we show that God is living in our hearts.  That evidence is spelled out in Galatians 5:22-23:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

The past couple of days, I have been reading about peace.  It hit me all of a sudden.  "Peace means the absence of fear and turmoil, not the absence of pain and grief."  That's why I'm not moved when it seems I should be.  That's why I'm not cracking under the pressure and weight of things that are meant for my harm.  And THAT's why, even though there is no earthly reason why I should have peace right now....I do.  His peace is "not as the world gives,"  and "passes all understanding."  There is nothing earthly about it.

Thank You, God, for allowing me to experience Your peace and Your presence in the midst of trouble.  Tomorrow's a new day.....surprise us!