Perfect Peace

Transcript

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Welcome to Beyond Sunday and Day 29 of Anchored in God's Promises. I'm so glad that you've been on this journey. I pray that each day has encouraged you that each day we've been looking at one of God's promises to anchor our lives and truth, no matter what our circumstances may be. Today's verse is one of the most beautiful promises about peace in the entire Bible. It's found in Isaiah chapter 26, verse three. It says this, you will keep in perfect peace. Those whose minds are steadfast. Because they trust in you. The phrase, perfect peace in Hebrew is literally shalom. Shalom, the word repeated twice for emphasis. Shalom isn't just the absence of conflict, it's wholeness, wellbeing, and completeness. This promise isn't about momentary calm or surface level positivity. It's about being so rooted in God that your inner life is whole, even when your outer life feels chaotic. It's the piece Jesus described as not as the world gives in John chapter 14, verse 27, A piece the world can't take away because the world didn't give it to you in the first place. Now, notice the wording you'll keep in perfect peace. This isn't something we muster up on our own. Peace is not the result of controlling every variable or fixing every problem. It's something God himself keeps in us. That means peace isn't fragile. Lemme say that again. The peace that can come from God in your life isn't fragile. It doesn't depend on your ability to hold it all together. It depends on God's ability to hold you together. And here's the condition he lays out. Peace comes to those whose minds are steadfast. A steadfast mind is one that's fixed, focused and not easily shaken. It doesn't mean ignoring reality. It means continually bringing reality back under the lens of God's truth. When fear says this is the end, a steadfast mind says, but God is my refuge. When worry says you won't make it, a steadfast mind says, but God has promised never to leave me. Your peace is directly connected to what you set your mind on. Finally, Isaiah explains why peace comes because they trust in you. Trust is shifting the weight of your confidence off yourself and onto God. It's saying, I don't have the understanding of everything because I trust the one who does perfect. Peace is not the result of perfect circumstances. It's the result of trust. Think of it this way. Think of a tightrope walker crossing high above the ground. If they look down, fear sets in. If they look to the side, they wobble, but if they keep their eyes fixed straight ahead, they stay steady. That's the picture here. When our minds are fixed on Christ, the storms may rage, but our steps remain steady. A woman in our church once shared how she sat in a hospital room waiting while her husband went into surgery. The situation was serious and the uncertainty was heavy, but she said to me as I prayed Isaiah 26 3, I felt something shift. My circumstance didn't change, but my heart did. I had a peace that honestly didn't make sense, but it was real. That's the piece Isaiah is talking about. So here's your challenge today. Write down the thought or worry that has been consuming your mind most. Then next to it, write this verse. You'll keep in perfect peace. Those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Every time that thought comes back in, speak the verse out loud. Fix your mind on the promise, not the problem. Let's pray together. God, thank you for the promise of perfect peace. We confess that our minds often run to fear and worry today. Fix our thoughts on you. Make our trust in you steady, and let your peace guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and His name. Amen. That's it for day 29 of Anchoring God's Promises. If this verse gave you peace today, share that verse with someone who could use the reminder that God's promise still holds. I'll see you back here tomorrow for day 30.