THE MISSING PEACE Unlock and Sustain Peace in Your Daily LifeSample

Day 7:

BENEDICTION

“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’”

Numbers 6:24-26

As we close, it’s important to note that during the writing of this Bible plan, I faced many opportunities to put my money where my mouth is. When we ask for peace, God, in His infinite grace, allows us to face challenges that require us to implement the principles and disciplines we speak and write about. Much like Peter, who vowed he would never deny Jesus. When tested and faced with the heat of the moment, he absolutely denied Jesus. Not that we would ever deny our Lord and Savior, but we are similar creatures who frequently buckle under the pressures of life that rob us of peace.

This isn’t rocket science, but we invariably over analyze and over complicate most things in life. At the risk of redundancy, it is necessary to over state facts when it sheds light on a simple conclusion. That said, fact: peace is most accessible when our eyes are fixed on Christ and we are more aligned with His behavior. You may have heard the expression ‘dig your well before you’re thirsty’. Figuratively speaking, many of us wait until dehydration sets in. Delayed pursuit of such a treasured commodity such as peace only leaves us emotionally and spiritually dehydrated. This is an indication that we waited too long to declare our thirst for Christ as a state of emergency.

Too often, we only arrive at a sense of urgency when the wheels have fallen off in our careers, health, finances, or relationships. Only then do we triage our trauma and frantically rush to ease that pain. Similar to a doctor’s protocol for mitigating flu symptoms by treating the virus at its early onset, it’s in our best interest that we get out in front of our incessant need for peace, comfort, and rest in our souls. This means a consistent hunger for Jesus where we consistently seek first the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Haven’t we tried it our own way long enough? Aren’t we exhausted with the losing proposition that persists in our current rhythm of pride and fear, white-knuckling our lives into an emotional dumpster fire? It’s time we create new habits and step into a new normal that includes deep communion with the Father through his word and through intimate, conversational prayer. This is a daily routine and recipe for abundant peace that surpasses all understanding. It is a lifestyle.