I have heard serene and beautiful places described as a “little piece of heaven“. It may be a pristine beach with tumbling waves glistening in the moonlight. A vast mountain vista or a bubbling creek under the canopy of shade trees. But it is ONLY a piece.
It cannot replace the inner peace that comes from Heaven.
Why? Because where we live and move and have our being is time-bound. Our world is ever changing– minute to minute, second to second. Weather can affect that serenity. Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and blizzards ravage the earth. Human progress can affect it as well. Bulldozers can topple mountains and oil tankers spill black gunk into the water, coating everything. And even if the serene views remain intact, our human emotions can discolor it. When we are angry or depressed we often block out birdsong and sunshine filtering through the leaves. No wonder cartoonists depict a dark cloud over the head of their characters. If there is one thing that is definitely not constant, it’s our mood.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
This peace that passes all understanding, as Paul describes it, is not affected by change. It is constant, eternal, and unmoving. It doesn’t come and go, or ebb and flow. It is there like a solid foundation that is unshakeable even in times of turmoil. You can cling to it and know it’s not going to crumble. This peace only comes from anchoring our hearts, minds and souls into the living waters of our faith in God. It transcends whatever is happening in our ever-changing world, because His peace is not of this world. It is Heaven-sent. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “...in me you can have peace.”
Two words that sound the same but are so different.
The first one, pIEce – where the IE stands for I Enjoy – is fleeting. It can be gone in a moment.
The other is pEAce – where the EA stands for Eternal Access. For the believer, it is always there, no matter what.
Which will you choose to bask in?
By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission
From: https://wheredidyoufindgodtoday.com/
Further Reading
• Inner Peace – by Gail Rodgers
• Living in God’s Joy and Peace – Prayer for Inner Peace
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