If you knew me personally, you would know that the one thing I guard most in my personal life is my peace. It reminds me of the song I have heard about praise - it says 'you don't know the cost of my praise.' I feel the same about peace - you couldn't possibly know the cost of my peace.

 

I have been thinking about peace a lot today. You see, I was given some news that at one time would have caused me to lose my peace quickly. But instead I remained calm and at peace - and each time thoughts about the news would come to mind, I would remind myself that everything was fine and it would be okay - God would keep us in peace and He would take care of it all.

 

As I thought about this news, and peace, I remembered a time in my life when I didn't gain or maintain my peace so easily. That's what I want to talk to you about today. Most people have little or no peace in their life. And most people say they want peace, but I have found that often they are not willing to do what it takes to get peace and keep it.

 

Peace, at least daily peace, does not come easily. Just as muscles won't come without lifting things that are normally too heavy for you, peace comes a lot the same way. To obtain an enduring peace will mean you have to go through some seasons of choosing peace instead of turmoil. It will mean going through times when everything around you is trying to steal your peace and you have to hold onto it with all your might. Make no mistake; the enemy will challenge your peace.

 

Years ago, when challenges began to come my way, some of them were really bad and I was a mess - in turmoil and literally couldn't get a grip on my emotions. It was then that I began to learn about peace, His peace.

 

Psalm 29:11 says the Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. To bless means to empower - therefore this scripture is saying that God empowers His people to walk in peace. God's word doesn't lie - if it says we have the empowerment to walk in peace - then we do, we simply have to choose it.

 

Isaiah 26:3 says that God will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is stayed upon Him - this is where the empowerment comes from - in the midst of every storm, it is vital to keep your mind on Him and trust in Him - you will only lose your peace when you get your mind and thoughts on what is going on and off of God.

 

Jesus, Himself, walked in a full measure of peace - He had to have a great deal of peace to be empowered to go to the cross, suffer and die and go into to hell...just for you and me. He remained in peace through it all - and we have a hard time staying in peace if the car in front of us is going too slow.

 

We can have the same peace that Jesus had - John 14:27 tells us plainly that Jesus left us HIS peace - the very same peace He walked in is available to us today - it is up to us, however, if we choose to walk in it or not.

 

Failing to have peace in your life is miserable and not only that but it is unhealthy. Proverbs 14:30 says that a heart of peace gives life to the body. In the Amplified it says 'A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body.' If we choose to live a healthy life then we are going to have to choose to walk in peace. If you think about it, every time you let go of peace, you stop pumping life into your body.

 

Peace is available to you. It has been all the time - but you will have to cultivate it. It does not come automatically and it doesn't come easily. The enemy will do everything in His power to constantly and consistently attack your peace - don't allow Him to do that. If he can't steal your peace, he will lose every time BUT if you let go of your peace, you will lose every time.

 

Peace is cultivated in hard times, challenging times and times when you could easily not have peace. And it comes by choice - you must choose peace and stand against torment and anxiety. It's up to you.

 

I fight for my peace - it has cost me something and it has taken me years to get to this point, I'm not willing to let it go easily. I love a peace-filled home and I love a peace-filled life. That doesn't mean challenges don't come - just as they did today - it simply means that I choose to remain in peace by keeping my mind focused on God and keep my heart trusting in Him. I choose not to think all the 'what if's' and I choose instead to think on what God says about my situation. I encourage you to do the same - if you do that each time a challenge comes your way - before you know it you will be walking in peace most of the time, if not all of the time. You will be walking in HIS peace, not allowing your heart to be troubled or afraid - that's what He left you, don't settle for any less.