In this distorted world, peace is so hard to find and much is impossible to achieve if you will let your human nature take control of your action instead of following God’s direction. But how can you experience God’s peace if you just presumed you know God without having a personal relationship with Him? Knowing and experiencing God happens only when you give Him full control of your life, then He will reveal to you His ways and His thoughts which are higher than ours, through His written word, the Bible, which is His love letter to mankind. (Isaiah 55:8-9).
What’s more puzzling is that, man refuses to let go of all the pain and the hurts and are actually nursing them day after day, because they refuse to forgive. Anger, bitterness, disappointments, frustrations and the likes usually happen because of individual differences and unrealistic expectations. People hold on to taking revenge to get even, thus, breaking their hearts even more by neglecting God’s only solution to forgive their offenders and forget their offenses. When I was still studying the Bible, I could never forget my Bible Study leader’s advice on how to get rid of the thorn in your heart caused by someone else based on God’s Word. “Saying “I am sorry “is the magic word to experience a freeing relief and be at peace which is the glory of forgiveness. But other people can’t just forgive even if the Bible clearly says that an unforgiving heart is an unforgiven heart (Matthew 6:15). They are the same people who are saying they know God but ironically, they refuse to obey God despite His example when He sent His Son on the cross so that He can forgive all our offenses against Him. You want to check if God is pleased with your life? Forgive your enemies and all of them will make peace with you and become your friends as you please God (Proverbs 16:7).
Another wholesome benefit of taking God at His Word in the Bible is to experience perfect peace in times of fear. Last night, cell phones, alarm system and television made a concerted disturbing warning because of a possible tornado in our area. As human beings, we can’t avoid to worry but as children of God we know we can immediately resort to call upon the Most Holy Name of Abba Father in heaven for help. Luke 18:7 says, “Won’t God protect His chosen ones who pray to Him day and night? Won’t He be concerned for them? He will surely hurry and help them.” No wonder the Psalmist says, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).
Yes, the Bible is written by human hands but nothing in the Bible was written without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2Timothy 3:16; 2Peter 1:21). God directly spoke to His prophets in the Old Testaments while the writers of the New Testaments are actual eyewitnesses of His Majesty (2Peter 1:16-18). Hebrews 2:4 says, “God Himself showed that His message was true by working all kinds of powerful miracles and wonders. He also gave His Holy Spirit to anyone He chose to” (CEV).
The message during Prayer Meeting the other week continues to linger in my thoughts with aspiring joy deep down in my heart as the speaker put emphasis on “faith honors God, God honors faith.”
When the Doubting Thomas demanded evidence, the Resurrected Jesus appeared to him in person saying, “Thomas, do you have faith because you have seen Me? The people who have faith in Me without seeing Me are the ones who are really blessed!” (John 20:29). Based on this passage, it is crystal clear that our Good Lord is giving us no other option on how to become joyful at all times and be at peace even in this troubled world, but to only fully believe without even a gust of doubt that our Father God is working everything in our lives for our own good. So that we can consider even bad times as God’s caravan that will bring us to our desired end where God wants us to shine as a reflection of His glory in this darkened world until eternity comes. If Joseph the dreamer had experienced God’s faithfulness in his most trying journey until his dream came true, so with our quest in life for God remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Truly, faith honors God, God honors faith.
“Jesus replied, ‘Didn’t I tell you that if you had faith, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).