How to have peace (5)

The Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (vv. 5-6 NKJV). God wants you to trust Him. As long as you’re struggling to figure things out on your own, you’re not trusting God and you won’t have peace. You must trust Him with your health, your money, your relationships, and your future. Everything! God never makes a mistake. All that happens in your life fits into His plan for you – even the problems and miseries and troubles you bring on yourself. He fits everything flawlessly into His plan for you (see Romans 8:28). And all He expects from you is to trust Him instead of attempting to figure everything out – that you acknowledge He is in control. When you do this, He promises to “make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6 NIV). When we aim at directing our own lives, we follow arbitrary paths filled with indecisiveness: “Should I do this or that? Should I go here or over there?” And it produces stress! But as soon as you trust in the Lord, He directs your paths and makes them successful, not stressful. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV). Note the order – prayer first, then peace. So if you’re not praying, you’re probably worrying. And worry is a worthless emotion – a waste! So when pressure starts accumulating, instead of panicking, start praying! Prayer is a remarkable stress reliever.