Are you overwhelmed and stressed out? Do you live in a constant state of frenzy and panic? It is possible to find calm in the midst of everyday chaos. This devotion will help you unlock the power and freedom found only in experiencing God’s perfect peace.
Entrusted Women
Day 1
Scriptures: Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:7
Introduction
The pace of life is faster now more than ever. Before we know it, days become weeks. Weeks become months, and months become years. We live in a society driven by speed. We want everything immediately. So much so that our attention spans have shortened. Today, the average human attention span is 8.25 seconds. It takes less than 10 seconds for us to become distracted!
You can see why it’s so easy to find ourselves running in circles subject to the latest headline or most urgent request. We become reactive rather than proactive. This was never God’s intent. God created us in His image, giving us free will and authority. This is an incredible gift that we must wield with wisdom found only by spending time with Him. Our time is the only resource we cannot get back, so it’s best to invest it in activities that yield an eternal return.
I often liken the principle of spending time with God to tithing. Some people feel they cannot afford to tithe when really it’s quite the contrary. We can’t afford NOT to tithe. This is also true when it comes to spending time with God. We may feel like our daily tasks and schedules won’t allow for much time with God. But it is our time with God that enables us to navigate each day much more efficiently and effectively.
God specializes in multiplying the seeds we plant. It’s the way the economy of the kingdom works. So it is with the principle of how we spend our time. When we are intentional about giving God the first and best of our time, He has an amazing way of multiplying our efforts in ways we never could.
It’s imperative that we consistently spend time with God to reclaim our peace. Having Perfect Peace doesn’t equate to having no problems or a stress-free life. Having Perfect Peace means we are no longer at the mercy of our situations, circumstances, or emotions. Having Perfect Peace means we’ve been equipped with the tools necessary to handle whatever may come our way while walking in wisdom and grace. It’s time to live in Perfect Peace!
Day 2
Scriptures: Lamentations 3:25-26, Isaiah 30:15
The Power of Silence
The first time I tried sitting in silence, I was immediately inundated with random thoughts of what I’d forgotten to do or what I needed to do that day. Then, I found myself plagued by feelings of guilt. I felt like I was wasting precious time and could be doing something so much more productive. Next, I was faced with the personal insecurities that I had become so good at masking. You’re not good enough. You’re not smart enough. You’re not pretty enough. You’re not enough.
These thoughts alone are the reason most people avoid embracing silence. Silence unmutes the inner dialogue we have with ourselves. These inner dialogues are often discouraging and destructive. Instead of working to change the dialogue, we try to drown it out with busyness, work, family, friends, activities, social media, and entertainment. Silence reminds us that these negative thoughts and emotions are still there. In fact, we’ve been feeding them with the very vices used to try to ignore them.
I’m learning to run towards the very thing I’m afraid of in life. It’s not easy, but it immediately takes away the power of whatever has been haunting me. What does it look like to run towards silence? It looks like getting up early or staying up late. It looks like putting my phone away. It looks like turning off the television. It looks like starting with just 5 minutes and being still. It looks like laying whatever comes to mind at the feet of Jesus, Whether it’s figuring out what to cook for dinner that night, the email I forgot to send, or the fact that I’m dealing with jealousy. It looks like acknowledging whatever comes to the surface and asking for God’s help with it.
The more I lean into silence, the more I am strengthened. I can identify the lies I’ve believed for so long and begin to replace them with God’s truths about me. Silence allows God’s word to seep into my soul and water the dry, cracked places of my heart. Silence empowers me to reclaim my time and how I approach each aspect of life. Silence allows me to walk in the dominion God has given me as His daughter. The next time you feel overwhelmed by life, just say, “Shhhh.”
Day 3
Scriptures: Luke 5:16, Mark 6:30-31
The Power of Solitude
I’ll never forget the first time I decided to take myself on a date. I was spending the summer in Atlanta, GA, alone, and wanted to be intentional about learning what I liked and what I didn’t like without the influence of friends or family. I decided to take myself to dinner and a movie…Sounds fun, right?
I think the hardest part was going to a restaurant and requesting a table for one. Walking across the restaurant, I felt like everyone was looking at me and wondering why I was alone. As I sat down, I tried to figure out where to look and what to focus on. I didn’t want to get caught “people watching,” so I just studied the menu for a long time. I slowly sipped my water and nibbled on my bread. The time between ordering my meal and waiting for it was probably the most challenging. The security blanket of my menu was now gone, so I intently looked around the restaurant and admired the paintings on the wall. It was awkward, to say the least.
Today, I relish the thought of having a meal, watching a moving, or even spending the night in a hotel ALONE. I love spending time in solitude. In fact, I recharge in solitude. But it took time for me get comfortable with solitude.
Why is solitude important? Solitude is important because God created us to be whole human beings that aren’t defined by our relationships, tasks, or titles. God created us for communion with Him. While I love coming together for corporate prayer, worship, and fellowship with others, I truly delight in spending personal time alone with God. God specifically designed each of us and knows us better than we know ourselves. He desires that we know Him intimately as well. Solitude provides an opportunity for us to intimately commune with Him one-on-one. What an amazing gift it is to commune with the creator of the universe!
Solitude with God enables me to pour out my heart to Him unapologetically, to wait on Him, and to hear His voice clearly. Solitude with God removes any competing voices and allows me to refocus on the only voice that truly matters. Solitude has also helped me to embrace the person God has created me to be.
It took a while for me to love myself, but when I realized that I was fearfully and wonderfully made, I began to appreciate how God designed me. I’m amazed by the intentionality God has put into crafting each and every one of us. We all have special gifts and a unique purpose. Solitude with God helps us to tap into these gifts and understand how we are to use them for His glory. It’s time for some one-on-one communion with God.
Day 4
Scriptures: Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalms 37:5
The Power of Surrender
I am a recovering workaholic and perfectionist. My tendencies to strive and get everything right come from a need for control. For a long time, I believed I could control the outcomes of my situations and circumstances. Now, don’t get me wrong. I do believe we are to honor God with our thoughts, words, and actions. However, saying, doing, and even thinking the right things does not guarantee the results we desire. We are to do what we know to do and trust God with the results.
On one hand, trusting God can feel crippling. On the other hand, it can be extremely freeing. I often vacillate between the two. It’s those glimpses of absolute freedom and the witnessing of numerous unfathomable miraculous outcomes that help me to try trusting God yet again.
We flippantly say, “God is sovereign” and “He’s in control,” without really acknowledging what that means. If God is truly in control, that means we are NOT in control. We have no control over our lives and how they play out. If we are in Christ, we know our eternal destination and can cling to the promises of God. The “what,” the “how,” and the “when” are often a mystery.
Surrender requires us to admit we have no control. That is Step 1. Step 2 requires us to trust the One who is in control: God, the creator of the universe and the one who holds it all together. Surrender isn’t a one-time decision. Surrender is an ongoing process. Just as we learn to surrender in one area of life, we are then challenged to surrender in yet another area. Surrender tethers us to God. God desires that we depend upon Him daily and cling to Him at all times. Let’s unlock the power of surrender.
Day 5
Scriptures: John 16:33, Numbers 6:24-26
Conclusion
Our relationship with God grants us access to perfect peace at all times. We can carry perfect peace with us into every situation, circumstance, and relationship in our lives. Having perfect peace serves as a witness to those around us and a reminder that God is bigger than anything we encounter.
Consistently practicing Silence, Solitude, and Surrender will look different during the various seasons and stages of life. Give yourself grace and recognize that there is a rhythm to each of these principles. With each shift, figure out what works for you and allow God to help you every step of the way.
The beautiful thing about God is that He graces us to do all that He’s called us to do. My prayer is that you would lean into these habits of perfect peace in your daily life. My prayer is that you wouldn’t give in to the expectations of being frantic and overwhelmed all the time. There is a better way. There is a higher way. That way involves living in God’s Perfect Peace.