Latest / Fostering Faith / Christ Our Peace: The Stillness That Speaks Louder Than Storms

Transcript

Christ Our Peace: The Stillness That Speaks Louder Than Storms · Fostering Faith

0:00
well this is gonna be the second time that I
0:04
recorded this episode and hopefully I don't hit
0:06
delete again and so that is how this episode
0:11
has started and so I recorded it the first time
0:14
and it was actually like a longer episode it
0:16
was like 24 ish minutes long and I went to go
0:20
rename it and I hit delete and so I was like
0:23
no no so Hopefully there is a reason for that
0:28
and so we are going to go into round two of this
0:31
podcast. And so welcome back to Fostering Faith.
0:36
I am going to be your host Tracy and we are walking
0:39
through the spiritual fruits. And I'm so glad
0:42
that you're here today because we're going to
0:43
continue to walk through this journey and studying
0:45
the fruit. We're already covered the first two.
0:50
So we covered love, the root of every fruit,
0:54
the one that fuels all others joy that deep gladness
0:59
that doesn't depend on what's happening around
1:01
you but who's holding you and this week we're
1:03
going to move on to the third piece and i don't
1:07
mean sitting on the porch phone turned off kind
1:09
of piece i mean piece that doesn't make any sense
1:12
the kind that stays even when life feels upside
1:16
down This one hits home for a lot of us. I think
1:21
because peace is what we crave When everything
1:25
else feels so chaotic and then today we're gonna
1:28
unpack What real lasting Holy Spirit peace looks
1:33
like and how to live it and how to hold on to
1:35
it Even whenever the storms rage and so Galatians
1:39
5 22 through 23 says but the fruit of the spirit
1:43
is love joy peace patience, kindness, goodness,
1:47
faithfulness, gentleness, and self -control as
1:49
we have read the last two weeks. And notice peace
1:52
comes right after joy and that's not random because
1:57
joy is an inner celebration of God's presence
2:00
and that peace is a result of that presence.
2:04
And so peace is what happens when joy of the
2:07
Lord becomes your stability. Peace is what happens
2:11
whenever you stop fighting for control and start
2:14
resting. and who he is and let's be honest pain
2:18
peace pain can lead to peace and so maybe that
2:23
was a 40 and slip but let's let's be honest and
2:26
so peace isn't natural for us our human nature
2:30
is to fix to prove to defend to plan to worry
2:33
and the more we try to control things the less
2:37
peaceful we feel And so when was the last time
2:40
that you tried not to fix something, or to prove
2:42
a point, or defend what you said, or to plan,
2:45
you know, six months ahead of time? And when
2:49
have you really stopped worrying? And so think
2:52
about that. And so peace is one of those fruits
2:54
that shows just how we need the Spirit's help.
2:58
Because you can't fake peace. You can fake calm,
3:02
but peace is deeper than composure. It's what
3:05
holds on. when you have nothing else to hold
3:08
on to. The source of peace. And Isaiah 26, 3
3:12
says, The verse has been a lifeline for me so
3:25
many seasons. It reminds me that peace is not
3:30
something that we can manufacture. It's something
3:34
that God keeps. And key words here are, you will
3:40
keep. That's active. God guards that. And when
3:46
your mind stays focused on Him, He protects your
3:49
peace like a soldier watching on the standby.
3:53
The more I focus on God's character, the smaller
3:57
my chaos feels. And so peace grows wherever trust
4:02
lives. You can't have peace and distrust at the
4:05
same time. One cancels the other. And when I'm
4:08
anxious, it's usually because I've shifted my
4:10
gaze off of God's faithfulness into my own fear.
4:16
And so when was the last time that you took your
4:17
eyes off Jesus? And so I can't help but think
4:20
about the time that Peter got out and walked
4:24
on the water and he lost his footing because
4:27
he paid attention to the storm and he lost his
4:29
footing. And as soon as Jesus was so close and
4:33
he just reached up and then he grabbed him. But
4:36
when was the last time that you felt anxious
4:38
and you're like, okay, fix my focus, fix my focus.
4:41
Peace doesn't mean that you're never afraid.
4:44
It means that you trust God and it outweighs
4:48
your fear. And so what does Jesus say about peace?
4:53
In John 14 27 Jesus said, I, to you, do not let
5:03
your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
5:07
This verse hits different whenever you realize
5:10
what he said and when he said it. When did he
5:15
say it? Right before the cross. His hours away
5:19
from betrayal, mockery, and death, yet he was
5:22
talking about peace. That tells me something.
5:26
Peace isn't the absence of pain. It's the presence
5:30
of Jesus. And the world's version of peace is
5:34
temporary. It's based on comfort and control,
5:38
both which are very fragile. But Jesus' peace
5:43
is permanent because it's based on who He is,
5:48
not what we feel. That means even when everything's
5:55
falling apart around you, peace doesn't have
5:57
to. Philippians 4 6 through 7 says do not be
6:01
anxious for anything but in everything by prayer
6:04
and supplication with Thanksgiving Let your requests
6:06
be known to God and the peace of God which surpasses
6:09
all understanding will guard your hearts and
6:12
your minds in Jesus Christ I Love that word guard
6:17
For sports you guard for military you guard peace
6:23
doesn't just sit quietly it protects It stands
6:27
the door of your heart and says, fear, you don't
6:30
have any room in here. Fear, you don't get to
6:33
come in. When anxiety knocks, prayer answers.
6:37
And peace is what happens in between. That's
6:41
the kind of peace that doesn't make any sense.
6:43
It's not logical. It's supernatural. Sometimes
6:47
God doesn't change the situation. He changes
6:51
your spirit inside the situation. And that's
6:54
what peace does. it shifts the atmosphere of
6:57
our heart before it shifts the circumstances
6:59
around you. And so I just can't help but whenever
7:04
we're in situations, are we asking God to change
7:07
the situations? Are we asking God to change our
7:10
hearts of how we're perceiving the situation?
7:13
And so whatever the situation may be, we're going
7:17
to go through different things in our life. And
7:21
are we praying the same prayers that we did?
7:24
Five ten years ago six months ago Are we paying
7:28
praying those big bold prayers? Because we have
7:31
a track record with God and we know that he is
7:33
good and we know that The last thing that we
7:35
went through he got us out of So are we praying
7:38
for situations to change? Are we being are we
7:42
praying for transformation? And so as you know,
7:47
I was I was preparing this week I came across
7:49
a sermon by Charles Spurgeon preached back in
7:53
1868 called Christ our peace in a space out of
7:58
Ephesians 2 14 He himself is our peace Spurgeon
8:02
said something that stopped me in my tracks whenever
8:04
he wrote Christ himself is our peace Not merely
8:08
the giver of peace but peace itself And I love
8:14
that because it's such a reminder that peace
8:15
isn't a feeling we're chasing It's not even something
8:19
that we Pray for God to send. It's the person
8:23
of Jesus that we're called to abide in. And if
8:28
you know me, you know me, and you know I love
8:29
the word abide. When you really think about it,
8:33
every time that you felt genuine peace, it wasn't
8:37
because your situation got easier. It was because
8:41
you felt the presence of Him even closer. The
8:45
peace that you're searching for is a person.
8:49
The calm you crave is Christ himself. So if your
8:54
heart feels restless today, don't go looking
8:58
for peace somewhere out there. It's not on sale.
9:01
You can't find it at Target. It's not on Amazon.
9:05
But sit with the one who is peace. And a storm
9:10
might still be loud, but whatever he speaks,
9:15
everything is still. And one of my favorite pictures
9:19
of peace is in Mark 4, 35 through 41. Jesus and
9:23
his disciples are crossing the sea and this storm
9:27
hits really hard. Waves are crashing. The wind
9:30
is howling. And Jesus is what? Like trying to
9:35
like GPS where they're going and like, you know,
9:37
like doing whatever. No, he's asleep. And they
9:43
panic and yell, teacher, don't you care that
9:45
we're perishing? I can just imagine the look
9:50
on his face because that Jesus is savage and
9:53
he I just love him. I just love him and It is
9:58
he gets up rebukes the wind It says peace be
10:03
still and everything goes silent Now here's what's
10:10
powerful the disciples had peace with them in
10:14
the boat the whole time But they didn't realize
10:17
it Does that sound familiar? How many times have
10:22
we had the Prince of Peace in our situation,
10:25
but yet we panicked anyway because we forgot
10:28
who he was? Peace isn't the absence of the storm.
10:34
It's the awareness of who's in your boat. And
10:39
so we were, it's been several years ago. And
10:45
my mom had bought me a book who's in the lifeboat
10:52
And I was just like I'm not gonna read this book
10:59
and she was like so offended She was like, you
11:01
know, it's about God and I thought that we would
11:03
like it but I wasn't like really I'm not a fictional
11:05
book reader and it was Such an engrossing book.
11:12
I think it's a guy that wrote The stranger in
11:16
the lifeboat the stranger. Yeah, the stranger
11:18
the lifeboat is what it's called. And there's
11:20
the person that wrote it was The five people
11:23
that you meet in heaven and This book is so engrossing.
11:27
I I encourage you to go read it. It's fictional
11:29
and I read the whole book in one night and It
11:33
is just it's who's in your boat with you and
11:36
I just can't help but also think of like reminders
11:38
and keep your opinions to yourself, but I like
11:41
tattoos and So like all the tattoos that I have
11:44
are parts of my life and just remembrance of
11:48
when I got it why I got it and I really do feel
11:51
like I think the next one I'm gonna have is like
11:54
a little anchor or a little boat Because we have
11:57
to be reminded Who's in our boat and we make
12:01
decisions sometimes that don't make no sense
12:04
in the hurry in the rush and I have a cross on
12:08
my right wrist and it's I have to Remember that
12:11
he is my strength. I have a little dumbbell Underneath
12:14
of it because he is my strength the cross is
12:17
my strength. I am nothing apart from that cross
12:20
and It's just a daily reminder No, he's he's
12:26
at my right hand he's right there with me he's
12:28
right there with me he is my strength he is my
12:30
strength i am weak i cannot do this and i'm just
12:33
reminded that he is my strength without that
12:35
cross i am nothing and so i really do feel like
12:39
the next one is going to be like a little boat
12:41
or a little anchor um and that way it just it
12:45
keeps reminding me um that he was asleep and
12:50
so holding on to peace in real life So how do
12:55
we actually live this out in our everyday, messy,
12:59
busy, crazy schedules and our minds are overloaded?
13:03
Here's a few things that I've learned. Protect
13:05
your focus. Peace follows focus. And if your
13:10
mind is always fixed on what's wrong, peace can't
13:14
breathe. Start each day by remembering who God
13:17
is before you look at what needs to be done.
13:22
Before you even get out of bed, put your armor
13:26
on. Tell him thank you for waking you up. And
13:29
you had a conversation with him before you even
13:33
started your day because you know as soon as
13:34
you get up, you're on your phone, you're drinking
13:37
coffee, you're getting kids ready, you're going
13:38
to school, you're doing everything. And so before
13:41
your day gets in your way, do what's important.
13:45
Spend that time with God. Get your protein in.
13:49
Get a good... Work out in, go for a walk, do
13:52
what's important to you in the start of your
13:54
day, and that way nothing can get in your way.
13:59
Two, pray before you plan. Prayer invites peace
14:04
into your priorities, and sometimes we don't
14:07
even need a new plan, we just need a new perspective.
14:13
Three, practice gratitude. Peace and gratitude
14:17
are best friends. the more thankful you are,
14:21
the less room there is to worry, to take root.
14:25
And so we said this again and again and again
14:28
on this podcast, gratitude attitude. And so,
14:31
you know, going through your day and listing
14:34
five things off that you're grateful for in the
14:35
morning and do five things at night, a gratitude
14:38
attitude will literally shift your perspective
14:40
into being more positive and looking for the
14:42
good versus looking for the negative. And so
14:47
it changes depression, it changes your mindset,
14:49
it changes all these different aspects. And if
14:52
you're just looking at something that's so small,
14:54
a cup of coffee, a roof over your head, a cell
14:58
phone, a internet, I mean, all those things may
15:01
sound super silliest, but you're grateful for
15:04
them. And so let them know about that. Thank
15:07
you. Four, be selective with what your input
15:12
is. You can't live in peace if you're constantly
15:15
surrounded by and consuming chaos. Filter what
15:19
you read. Filter your scrolling. And filter what
15:23
you're listening to. Guard your gates. What you
15:26
listen to, what you feed into your mind, it can
15:31
all take root. And so be very selective. You
15:35
are not a garbage can. Your body is a temple,
15:39
so it only deserves the best. And so make sure
15:42
that you're paying attention to and whatever
15:44
you're reading, whatever you're scrolling, it
15:47
should be bettering you. You should be reading
15:49
books that encourage you. You should be that
15:51
learn new skills and listening and consuming
15:56
things that are taking you towards your goal.
16:02
Five, stay surrendered. Peace doesn't flow where
16:06
control reigns. The tighter your grip, the more
16:10
peace slips through those fingers. And so just
16:13
think of like, slime. And so it's solid and then
16:17
you grip it and you squeeze it and you squeeze
16:19
it and you squeeze it and it just kind of seeps
16:20
out your fingers. And so always asking God, what
16:23
am I holding on too tight for? What am I holding
16:25
on? Where are my hands not open? What am I wanting
16:29
you not to get a hold of? What am I holding on
16:31
so tight? And so have him check your heart. He'll
16:36
let you know. Hey. You're not surrendered in
16:39
your finances. You're not surrendered in your
16:40
marriage. You're not surrendered in your parenting.
16:42
You're not surrendered at that office. And so
16:45
what are you surrendered for? What are you not
16:47
surrendering? Why are you wanting to control
16:49
that certain aspect? Why would you not trust
16:51
him with that? And so I often think that whenever
16:56
we don't surrender, it's because we're going
17:00
to be let down. We're afraid that he's not going
17:02
to do it the way that I want to. He's not doing
17:04
it, you know, like I want to do it this way.
17:06
And I mean, and we really have to remember that
17:08
he's never been late. He's never been wrong.
17:10
And whatever you are thinking about, his ways
17:13
are greater. And so what don't you trust him
17:15
with? What area? Ask him. He'll tell you. And
17:21
so maybe you're listening today and thinking,
17:23
Tracy, I don't feel peace right now at all. And
17:26
I get that. But here's the truth. Peace isn't
17:30
gone. It's just buried underneath the noise.
17:34
And so sometimes peace. isn't lost. It's just
17:38
crowded. You might need to quiet your mind. You
17:42
might need to get rid of the distractions long
17:46
enough to hear God again. You can't lose something
17:50
Jesus said he gave you, but you can drown it
17:53
out with worry, busyness, and fear. What does
17:59
the devil want? He wants you busy. He wants you
18:02
worried. He wants you in all the places that
18:04
you were never meant to be. He wants you to fear.
18:09
What if? What if? He knows scripture better than
18:12
you. And he'll take that and twist it. Just a
18:15
little bit. Just a little bit to cause that worry.
18:19
Just enough busyness that you forget to pray.
18:22
Just a busyness, oh, church is like, where's
18:25
that at? I don't have time. I don't have time
18:29
for that right now. Oh, he's gonna love me anyway.
18:33
Take a breath. Go back to what you know is true.
18:37
God hasn't changed, and his peace hasn't either.
18:43
And so remember, peace is a fruit, and it grows
18:47
as it stayed connected to the Spirit. You don't
18:50
strive for it. You stay in step with him, and
18:55
it develops you naturally. In Galatians 5 it's
18:58
clear, peace isn't self -produced. You can't
19:02
white -knuckle it. You cultivate it by walking
19:05
with the Holy Spirit daily. That means the more
19:08
time that you spend when God's Word, the more
19:11
reaction and time for reflection begins whenever
19:16
you're in His presence. And when that happens,
19:21
people notice. You start carrying peace into
19:23
rooms that used to drain you. You respond calmly
19:27
to situations that used to shake you. Because
19:31
peace isn't something that you chase. It's something
19:35
that you carry. And peace isn't internal, it's
19:39
relational. Romans 12, 18 says, If possible,
19:43
so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with
19:48
all. And that's not easy. But spiritual maturity
19:52
shows up whenever you handle it with conflict.
19:55
Being a peacemaker doesn't mean you avoid truth
19:58
or let people walk all over you. It means that
20:01
you respond with grace and wisdom, even when
20:03
others don't. Real peace isn't depending on everything
20:09
is fine, it's choosing not to let bitterness
20:12
rule your heart. You can't control everyone else's
20:17
actions, but you can control your atmosphere.
20:20
You can choose peace even when others choose
20:24
chaos. If you lead with any capacity at home,
20:29
ministry, and business, your peace affects people
20:33
around you. And when you carry peace, It sets
20:37
a tone. It says we trust God more than we fear
20:41
outcomes. It calms storms, softens hearts, and
20:47
opens space for the spirit to work. And that's
20:52
why Jesus called peacemakers blessed in Matthew
20:55
5 9. They bring heaven's calm into earth's tension.
21:02
So every day you'll have moments where you're
21:06
either going to protect your peace or surrender
21:09
it. You'll face interruptions, delays, misunderstandings,
21:14
disappointments. But here's the truth. Peace
21:17
is not the absence of those things. It's your
21:20
response in the middle of them. When your heart
21:24
starts to raise and pause and whisper, Lord,
21:31
you're in control. When your mind starts to spiral,
21:35
Say, God, I trust you. Peace grows every time
21:40
you choose to trust over turmoil. And we were
21:46
talking about that in class this weekend. And
21:48
it was with every step, you're stronger. With
21:50
every step, you're stronger. With every step,
21:53
you're stronger. And so the kids, they thought
21:56
that they could do 100 push -ups. And so a lot
21:58
of them tried. I think the most that we had was
22:01
20... Seven push -ups, but they came in Not knowing
22:08
that they could do that many and so they left
22:10
stronger Because they tried They they did one
22:14
after another one after another one after another
22:16
and so you you get stronger as you keep going
22:20
and So let me remind you of this peace isn't
22:24
a distant dream. It's a promise Jesus said my
22:29
peace I give to you that means that you're already
22:34
there. You don't have to earn it. You just have
22:38
to stay close enough to the giver to feel it.
22:41
And when the storm rages, whenever you're tired,
22:44
whenever you're overwhelmed, you're uncertain,
22:47
hold this truth that your Savior who speaks peace
22:50
to the wind is still speaking today. And we've
22:55
got to keep our focus on Him. Keep your eyes
22:58
on Him. And so in class this week, I had the
23:02
kids go through a maze because we had to fix
23:05
our eyes on Jesus. But when they started the
23:08
maze, they couldn't see Jesus. And so we had
23:11
to go through doors, and we had to go under chains,
23:14
and we had to step over corn, and we had to have
23:18
all these different obstacles, and we had to
23:20
go through this maze. And as we had to go through
23:24
all these things, we had a promise that we were
23:26
going to find Jesus. and before class I had taped
23:31
a sign that said Jesus on a window that was pretty
23:36
far away but they couldn't see it but they just
23:37
kept walking and they kept walking and they kept
23:39
walking and they had to go and they had to overcome
23:41
these obstacles and they had to overcome these
23:43
obstacles and they had to go through what the
23:46
devil was saying what their friends were saying
23:47
they had to go under and break chains of what
23:51
people had said about them in their past and
23:54
so they had to keep walking and as they walked
23:55
they got stronger. And so you may not realize
23:58
it, but just one step makes you stronger, one
24:00
step makes you stronger. And so as they walk
24:02
through it, they were able to see him at the
24:05
end of the race. And so we hope that this series
24:13
is something that's inspiring you to open up
24:16
scripture, to sit with God, to abide in him,
24:19
to realize what he has already given you. And
24:24
so as we close out this week. the fruits of the
24:26
Spirit. And so remember that love is in the root,
24:30
joy is the overflow, and peace is the stillness
24:33
that follows trust. And so we would love to pray
24:36
for you. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much
24:38
for these listeners. Thank you so much for our
24:40
love, our joy, and our peace. Thank you that
24:42
you were the same God that you were then, that
24:44
you are today. Thank you that we can abide in
24:46
you. Thank you that we can just sit with you.
24:48
Thank you that we can be honest with you whenever
24:50
we are struggling. Thank you that we do not have
24:52
to have works. but we have your love and your
24:55
grace and your mercy. Thank you for all that
24:57
you do. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. And so until
25:01
next week, we'll move into patience. And let's
25:04
be honest, that one's going to be a challenge
25:07
for all of us because peace steadies us, but
25:12
patience stretches us. And so until then, stay
25:16
connected to the source. Don't chase calm, choose
25:20
Christ. He is your peace. Have a great week guys.
25:23
We love you.