Perfect Peace

By Paul Chappell

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust."

Isaiah 26:3-5

In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was sentenced to be burned at the stake in England because of his witness for Christ. On the night before Ridley's execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort. Nicholas Ridley declined the offer and replied that he meant to go to bed and sleep as quietly as ever he did in his life. Because he knew the peace of God, he could rest in the strength of the everlasting arms of his Lord to meet his need.

Most of us will never face a trial of our faith that is quite that severe, yet all of us go through difficult times. During those times, we have the opportunity to fix our minds on God and receive His peace. Or we can do as Peter did when he was walking on the water. It was when he stopped looking at Jesus and began to focus on the winds and waves that Peter began to sink. One of the lovely things about that story is that even when his lack of faith got him in trouble, Peter still believed enough to cry out for help—and Jesus rescued Peter from the water.

We do not need perfect circumstances to have perfect peace. Peace is the promise of Almighty God to His children when we trust in Him. He has the power and ability to cause everything that happens to us to work for good. Peace comes from believing that truth.

Today's Rooted Principle:

When we lack peace, we should view that as a reminder to focus on God rather than on our circumstances.