9 SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY - PEACE

Developing Spiritual Maturity - Growing Peace Through Trials

Isaiah 41:10(NCV) 10 So don’t worry, because I am with you.
Don’t be afraid, because I am your God.
I will make you strong and will help you;
I will support you with my right hand that saves you.
 
Philippians 4:7 (NCV)
7 And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
 
Colossians 3:15 (NCV)15 Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking, because you were all called together in one body to have peace. Always be thankful.

Do you think that peace is the fleeting feeling between problems? Its dependent in "what's going on", "what others are doing to us", "how life is treating us at the moment". I'll admit I was such a believer of that concept for many years. If I don't watch it, it's easy to slip back to that mindset when things don't go as planned/ or life hits hard. Can you identify?

Personally, when I go through rough times; I've had to grow FAITH that when one door closes GOD will open another door. We may not understand the "why" of our situation but we experience "peace that passes all understanding" through FAITH and belief that God has a purpose in all we go through. He loves us so much and wants us to grow in Him.

Where do we find the kind of peace that is not just the absence of trouble--the kind of peace that cannot be affected by trouble, danger, or sorrow? It is ironic that what is surely the most definitive example on peace in all of Scripture comes from the Lord Jesus on the night before He died in agony. He knew what He was facing, yet He still took time to comfort His disciples with the message of peace.

How Can We Reduce Fear and Grow Peace?

Listen to your intuition/Holy Spirit:
Have you been told that you "over think" things? I have, MANY times.....I have recently just  learned, when in prayer and study with God, your intuition/gut feeling can tell you the right decision to make.Listen to this whenever you need to make decisions. Your intuition often knows more than you think. Since intuition works instantly, it won’t bring a lot of things into your mind. Your mind will remain calm and peaceful.

Prayer:
Prayer  is one of the best ways to calm your mind and have a “mind like water”. Prayers grows our faith and grows our relationship with God.  For me its spending time in the morning to talk with God about my concerns/ concerns for others and "leave it with Him". Everyone is different in the mode/amount/time of day etc when they want to communicate with Him. The simple thing to remember is to "do it":)\

Read spiritual texts/Bible:
Spiritual texts are among the purest kinds of information you can possibly get. It helps you link together your mind, heart, and intuition. Reading helps us focus on our dependence on God to work things out to His purpose. Reading helps us to take scripture and apply it to our present circumstances that we feel "stuck" in. Above all, reading is one very important part of communicating with our God. Hear what he has to say to us when we are discouraged.

FATHER GOD - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KNOWING OUR EXACT SITUATION AND WANTING US TO GROW IN YOU AND MAKE THINGS POSITIVE THROUGH YOU. PLEASE HELP US TO GROW PEACE AND FAITH THROUGH TRIALS AND KNOW THAT PEACE CAN BE EVERLASTING - DESPITE CIRCUMSTANCES. REMIND US TO LISTEN WITH OUR HEARTS/YOUR VOICE WHEN MAKING DECISIONS TO TRULY FIND PEACE. HELP US TO SHOW OTHERS THE CHRISTIAN EXAMPLE OF BEING "CALM DURING THE STORM". THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSINGS. AMEN






The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.