Captivated Women

This Saturday our women's Ministry is having a half day retreat called Summer Lite. I will be one of the speakers for the break out groups. The theme of the day is finding Peace in.... Where do we find peace?

Do we find peace in forgiveness? crafts? Is there peace in our homes? There isn't much peace in our world. Which is more important, peace in our hearts or peace in the world? Peace: we fight for it and we seek after many things that promise peace but it so often eludes us.

I've been listening to Beth Moore on Wednesdays when she teaches a short study for Life Today with James Robison. She has been teaching on finding the God of all comfort versus desiring comfort at any cost. I relate comfort and peace together. Do you? It seems to me that more often than not we seek comfort and peace at the same time.

Curling up in bed with a good book, watching a chick flick lounging on the couch, avoiding issues with our loved ones for fear of losing the plastic peace that sits between us, or grabbing that sweet dessert and savoring its comfort. Many things pretend to bring us peace and Beth moore says that when we Desire these comforts more than the God of all comfort we live lives of relational disasters, lives full of addictions, and we will miss our calling because our calling will only be found outside of our comfort zone.

I think Beth is right about comfort, but when I look at it through this window, I must say I am wrong to bind comfort and peace together so securely. Yes, the lack of peace leads to relationship disasters and addictions, but I think we can have peace without having comfort! Even in the most difficult circumstances we can have peace.

Jesus is our Prince of Peace (Is.9:6) Jesus is our peace (Eph.2:14a) and He fills us with the Holy Spirit so we may bear fruit, of which one is peace. The question arises how do we get this peace Jesus offers?

I am certain that the first step is to be captivated by God. We must be overpowered by the desire to seek Him in His word, and to be with Him in relationship throughout each day. It is when we are bound to Christ that we can find peace in any situation. When turmoil is thrust at us and we find ourselves sinking, we know that Jesus is with us. We believe He will get us through the trial and make all things right in the end as He promised. Of course we don't know when the end will be, but we really can trust Him. He has proven Himself to be faithful. He has proven Himself to be my Prince of Peace.

For you I pray that He will fill your hearts with peace that passes understanding. May You always know the peace He offers and refuse plastic peace. I also hope and pray that you will find comfort in Him alone!

Have a great day!