You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. (Isaiah 26:3)
How do you understand this verse? One reading is that God keeps people in perfect peace as a reward for their trusting in Him. Another reading is that God keeps people in perfect peace because their minds are steadfastly trusting in God. I think the second is the more accurate reading,
Here’s a more important matter. God keeps those in perfect peace …because they trust in Him. They don’t trust in the circumstances. In fact, the only reason this passage can say that they are kept in perfect peace …because they trust in Him is because their circumstances aren’t trustworthy or peaceful. If their circumstances were as they wanted, or better than they wanted, and were guaranteed to remain that way, there wouldn’t be any reason for God to keep them in perfect peace, no reason their minds would need to be steadfast, no reason to focus on trusting Him.
Years ago, some teacher told me that the time when revolutions are most likely to occur is not when things are at their worst, but when things are getting worse, not when things are at their worst, but when the people have the idea that better is a possibility. I can see the truth of that in my own life. When things are getting tough or are tough, my focus turns more toward God.
Right now, my life is moving forward in a lot of areas. It’s exciting and terrifying. It’s also frustrating. I should be farther along on this project or that. I should have finished something else by now. Today’s specific frustration seems to be focused on my not having found a way, in the last ten weeks, to settle my life into a routine that lets me accomplish everything I want to in an unhurried fashion each day. Of course, my idea of unhurried fashion means that I have at least an hour to do each thing I want to do… quiet time, blog writing, dog walking, dog care, gardening, house cleaning, cleaning out the garage, taking care of household business, research, writing, crafting, cooking, reading for enjoyment, photography. Get the picture? Unrealistic expectations. Because there’s more time to do some more of these, the rebel in me is painting its protest placard.
One of the things God told me last December when I was struggling with depression was “Wait until the end of December.” Progress isn’t measured in microseconds or nanometers. It’s measured over the course of weeks, months, and years. The only way to survive it is to keep focused not on the progress, but on Him.
Here’s a more important matter. God keeps those in perfect peace …because they trust in Him. They don’t trust in the circumstances. In fact, the only reason this passage can say that they are kept in perfect peace …because they trust in Him is because their circumstances aren’t trustworthy or peaceful. If their circumstances were as they wanted, or better than they wanted, and were guaranteed to remain that way, there wouldn’t be any reason for God to keep them in perfect peace, no reason their minds would need to be steadfast, no reason to focus on trusting Him.
Years ago, some teacher told me that the time when revolutions are most likely to occur is not when things are at their worst, but when things are getting worse, not when things are at their worst, but when the people have the idea that better is a possibility. I can see the truth of that in my own life. When things are getting tough or are tough, my focus turns more toward God.
Right now, my life is moving forward in a lot of areas. It’s exciting and terrifying. It’s also frustrating. I should be farther along on this project or that. I should have finished something else by now. Today’s specific frustration seems to be focused on my not having found a way, in the last ten weeks, to settle my life into a routine that lets me accomplish everything I want to in an unhurried fashion each day. Of course, my idea of unhurried fashion means that I have at least an hour to do each thing I want to do… quiet time, blog writing, dog walking, dog care, gardening, house cleaning, cleaning out the garage, taking care of household business, research, writing, crafting, cooking, reading for enjoyment, photography. Get the picture? Unrealistic expectations. Because there’s more time to do some more of these, the rebel in me is painting its protest placard.
One of the things God told me last December when I was struggling with depression was “Wait until the end of December.” Progress isn’t measured in microseconds or nanometers. It’s measured over the course of weeks, months, and years. The only way to survive it is to keep focused not on the progress, but on Him.
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