BEST OF TQFG: Let God give you one of His greatest gifts – His peace.
We hope you enjoy this re-post from April 5, 2013. Be blessed! The Today’s Quote From God Team
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27, KJV
Good parents love to give their children gifts. God is no different. Aside from the gift of salvation, perhaps the gift He longs to give His children the most is the gift of peace.
In John 14:27, the word “peace” is the Greek word eirene (i-ray’-nay), and with regard to the Christian it means, “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.” In other words, Christians who experience God’s peace fear no adverse eternal or earthly circumstances. They simply don’t worry because they know Christ is with them both now and forever – in every circumstance and situation.
The question is, how do we get there? How do we reach this pinnacle of peace? One of the surest ways to reach this point is the way that is probably the most disagreeable: repeated exposure to bigger and bigger trials.
Have you ever wondered why Job suffered? In Job 3:25, Job made the following, stunning statement:
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Some of Job’s friends argued that God was punishing him for some unrighteousness, but God didn’t allow Satan to torment Job to purge him of unrighteousness. God Himself bragged to Satan of Job’s righteousness. God allowed Satan to torment Job to purge him of his character flaw of worry. Job was fretful; he was constantly concerned that the good life he had would someday be ripped from him. It was only after he lost everything that he ceased clinging to his possessions – which could be taken away – and completely clung to his God – whom no one could ever take away. Through his trial, Job was able to learn of and to lean on the true Source of tranquility of soul – God Almighty.
In each one of our trials we have the opportunity to learn how to abandon trust in our own power and possessions in favor of placing our full faith and trust in JEHOVAH-JIREH, the Lord our Provider. Trials are necessary to rip from us the things that stand in the way of completely trusting God. Do we welcome trials? No, and we never will. But, we should be thankful for them because, though painful, they act as schoolmasters to show us the way to God’s perfect peace.
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