MEMORY VERSE:
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)
I’ve written about the importance of spending time in God’s presence in previous posts. (Check out Mysterious Peace for some words from the apostle, Paul) Apparently I don’t listen to my own advice because I needed a refresher course in peaceful living last week.
I’ve been on an extended work trip in the province of Manitoba. I had nine days of early morning starts, long driving times interspersed with customer meetings, and evenings spent responding to a flurry of accumulated email.
When I’m not travelling I get up early to work out and spend quiet time with God. When I’m on a road trip I want to make efficient use of my time, seeing as many customers as I can. My scheduled quiet time is sacrificed in favour of getting on the road by 6:30 or 7:00 a.m.
Here’s the problem. I can maintain this pace for a while, but if you keep burning the candle at both ends, eventually the ends meet in the middle, and your fingers get scorched.
I’ve struggled with anxiety and panic attacks in the past. Periodically, like a carrion crow swooping down on road kill, panic comes back to feed when I’m in a weakened state.
I was reminded of this last week as I sat in a hotel room struggling to ward off anxiety and an impending panic attack. Not exactly my idea of a pleasant evening!
On the plane home for a four day hiatus (before returning to continue the trip for another ten days) I was reading Max Lucado’s book, “Great Day Every Day”. The following statement flashed on the page like a bright neon sign, “No one can pray and worry at the same time. When we worry, we aren’t praying. When we pray we aren’t worrying.” (Page 49)
It’s a thought provoking statement that served as a much needed reminder. Sometimes I wonder why I schedule myself as I do. It goes back to one of those “it seemed like a good idea at the time” thoughts.
Reading Isaiah 26:3-4 and Max Lucado’s statement gave me the “kick in the backside” reminder that often our priorities get twisted.
We need to take time every day to re-focus our thoughts on God. When we do, the carrion crows of worry, anxiety, and panic find us equipped to handle daily challenges. Their attempts to peck at our minds are repelled because we’re focused on God’s peace.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
Is your mind fixed on God? Do you trust Him as your everlasting rock? Do you need to re-focus your mind on Him to find His peace today?
Share your thoughts by clicking on “comments” below.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you. Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)
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