by Dr. Paul Chappell

"In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 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."

Isaiah 26:1-4

God is forever in control of your life and has ordered your life events to draw you closer to Him.

Our world is searching for peace. Throughout history peaceful agreements have been made, but few have been kept. Seeking to answer the question of peace, Duke University once conducted a survey on what gave people peace of mind. Below are their eight keys to peace:

1) The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness.
2) Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.
3) Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it.
4) Force yourself to stay involved with the living world. Resist the temptation to withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress.
5) Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.
6) Cultivate the old-fashioned virtues-love, humor, compassion and loyalty.
7) Do not expect too much of yourself. When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable.
8) Find something bigger than yourself to believe in. Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.

What an accurate survey of the world's answers to lack of peace. Many people focus on their own abilities and follow such guidelines to seek peace, but no one will find peace through earthly actions. God has created each of us with a need for Him, and until He fills our life, we will experience a lack of peace.

Remember when you trusted Christ? Didn't you feel a sense of relief, a feeling of peace in your heart after you were saved? God gives us peace knowing that our future is secure in Him. Yet many times we can face times of doubt, worry, and mistrust that leave us lacking peace. The devil is an expert at causing us to focus on problems and forget God's peace.

Notice Isaiah's proclamation about peace: "In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 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." There is coming a day when all fears will subside and we will forever dwell with God. During that time, we will feel perfect peace as we worship God for eternity. But while we're living in this imperfect world, we must trust God's omniscience and focus our heart and mind on God.

I'm sure by this point in your life, you've experienced heartbreak or troubling times. The natural human reaction is to worry and become fearful. Yet as Isaiah says, God gives peace to His children as they trust Him. God is forever in control of your life and has ordered your life events to draw you closer to Him. Trust His guidance and rest in peace, knowing He has you in the palm of His hand.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 89-90 | Romans 14