Stay In Peace - Remember The Good

Many people are trying to get rid of their problems, hoping they will then be happy; then they can start enjoying their lives. But God wants us to learn to have peace in the midst of the storms. He wants us to have peace even when things aren't going our way. If we make the mistake of basing our peace on circumstances, we'll never experience God's best, because something will always upset us. You're never going to get rid of life's little aggravations. You will never get to a point where you don't have challenges or opportunities to get discouraged. We have to change our approach to life.

Peace is not necessarily the absence of trouble, nor is it always the absence of enemies. You can have trouble and conflict all around you on the outside, yet have real peace on the inside.

You may be upset and worried about some aspect of life. Perhaps you are concerned about your finances, or there's a situation at work that is unjust or unfair, and you are letting that situation rile you on the inside. Day after day, it weighs on you, draining your joy, your energy, and your enthusiasm. You have let the storm get on the inside, and you need to make some changes.

When this challenge is over, there will be something else that can steal your peace. You've got to change your approach and stop allowing those things to upset you. Instead, turn that situation over to God.

Understand that until you get to this place of peace, God can't really work in your life the way He wants to, because God works where there is an attitude of faith and expectancy, not attitudes of unbelief, worry, despair, and discouragement. Every day you will have opportunities to lose your peace.

Don't live life upset, worried, and frustrated.

Sometimes we lose our peace over things we can't change. You might as well enjoy you life while God is in the process of changing things in the lives of people around you.

One of the best ways that we can show God we are trusting Him is by simply remaining calm.

Be the type of person who remains calm in the midst of the storm.

Don't allow anyone to steal your peace. Understand that there will always be people around you who are able to aggravate you if you allow them.

Certain people can rub us the wrong way; they can irritate us if we allow them.

God is in complete control of your life. He's promised if you will remain at rest, He'll make your wrongs right. He'll bring justice into your life. You don't have to worry, nor must you be controlled by your circumstances.

Too often, we allow ourselves to become worried and upset. We let people steal our joy. We get bent out of shape if our plans don't work out exactly as we had hoped.

You may not be able to change certain aspects of your life, but you can rise above them. Turn those situations over to God. Make a decision today that you are not going to allow those things to upset you and bother you anymore.

The Scripture says that the things we see with our natural eyes are only temporary. That means they are subject to change. All it takes is one touch of God's favor, and God can turn around any situation. He can cause you to be at the right place at the right time. In any situation, God can turn it around in a split second of time.

Make a decision today that you are going to enter into God's rest. You're not going to live worried anymore. You're not going to let people steal your joy. You're not going to give up on the dreams that God has placed in your heart. Perhaps you need to get a new perspective, a fresh outlook. Maybe you've been in a difficult situation for a long time. It just doesn't look like it's going to get any better. The storm is raging and you are discouraged. Life looks gloomy and you have found yourself living lower than you believe God intends. You need to rise higher, above the circumstances.

The clouds in your life are only temporary. It may look dark and dismal right now, but the sun is up there, shining brightly.

God is on your side. There's nothing too difficult for Him. Lay aside anything that is weighing you down, so you can live free from worry, frustration, or discouragement, knowing that God is in complete control.

Too often, we remember what we should forget--our disappointments, hurts, and failures--and we forget what we should remember--our victories, successes, and the good times.

Take time to remember your victories, and celebrate what God has done in your life.

This is one of the best ways to build your faith and keep yourself encouraged. Remember the time that God made a way for you when it looked as if there was no way. Remember when you were so lonely, and God brought somebody special into your life. Recall how God has healed you or someone you know; think of how He protected you in the storm, guided you, blessed you.

It would do you good to review God's goodness to you on a regular basis -- simply thinking about the major victories in your life, the unexpected successes, or the times when you knew that God intervened in your circumstances.

When we learn to recall the good things God has done, it helps us to stay in an attitude of faith and to remain grateful. It's hard to go around complaining when you are constantly thinking about how good God has been to you. It's hard to get negative and to veer off into unbelief when you are always talking about God's blessings and favor in your life.

God has done something for every one of us. We merely need to go back and remember where we came from. Thank God for what He has done. Remember how He set you free. Remembering where you came from is one of the best ways to keep yourself encouraged.

Sometimes we take these things for granted. Some people don't even realize that it was God at work in their life.

Too often, we forget God is the Giver of all good things. God is the one who caused us to get that "lucky break." He's the one who caused us to be at the right place at the right time. Understand that there's no such thing as a coincidence when your life is directed by God. When something good happens to you, be sensitive, recognize the work of God, and learn to recall it often.

I encourage you to keep a notebook, something like a diary or a journal. When something happens in your life that you know is God, write it down. You know God opened up a door. Add that to your list. You know God spared your life or you know God spoke to you a specific word of direction; make a note of that, too. You were down and discouraged, ready to give up, when God quickened a Scripture to your heart and it lifted your spirits. Write that down. Keep a running record of the good things that God has done for you.

It need not always be something big; to others it may seem quite insignificant. But you know it is God guiding your life.

Then on a regular basis, get that notebook out and read about all the great things God has done in your life. You will be encouraged! When you recall how God opened up this door for you, protected you over here, restored you there, healed you there, your faith will increase. Especially in times of difficulty, when you are tempted to get discouraged, get that notebook out and read it again. If you do that, you will not go through the day discouraged and defeated. You will know that God is in control of your life. He is holding you in the palm of His hand, and He will take care of you.