Perfect Peace

May 29, 2021

Too much time spent in the past leads to depression; too much time spent in the future leads to anxiety. Live in the moment.

- John Mark Comer

Do you sense we are living in a modern day Babylon? Pastor Ken asked that question this past weekend, as we looked at Peter’s letter to the churches in Asia Minor. They, too, were living in their modern day Babylon at the time.

Pastor Ken challenged us through Peter’s instruction to look at one or two of four areas that we need Jesus to refine us to be an unstoppable force for him while in Babylon! They were: 1) Humble Ourselves; 2) Cast ALL our Anxiety on Him; 3) Be Alert and Sober-Minded; and 4) Resist the Devil and Stand Firm in the Faith.

At times, I have found myself under the refining fire when it comes to anxiety and resisting the devil.

When my anxiety rises, I begin to live in fear and doubt God’s plan. Instead, I work hard at CONTROLLING my circumstances. Can anyone relate?

Anxiety took hold of my life through a few specific events. When I was in high school, I was asked to take a younger friend to choir practice at church. I couldn’t, and two hours later he was killed on a skateboard while being pulled by a bicycle.

Two years later, Ken and I were newly married, and while at church choir practice, the Pastor asked my dad and I to come to his office. We learned my eighteen year old cousin, Steve, had collapsed on the football field. After testing that evening, we were told he had three days at most to live because of a hole in his heart. I spent the night with my grandparents, and the call came the next morning that he had died.

And then, many years later, when the midnight phone call came from my dad saying that my twenty-two year old sister had just been killed, anxiety took over my life. No matter how hard “I” tried, I lived with an underlying fear. The more I lived in fear of the next phone call or the dreaded bad news, the more crippled I became. My faith was shaky and the devil had me trapped in fear.

Fear keeps us from living the life Jesus has for us.

We can’t live there! Philippians 4:6 says:

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 in Christ Jesus.

The opposite of anxiety is peace. In August of 2016, Ken was diagnosed with cancer, and subsequently it spread to his lungs and adrenal glands. As we continue on this journey, I choose to put on God’s full armor daily. I have peace and trust God that, no matter what, I have to enjoy the moment, the gift of today.

John 14:27 says,

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Through cancer, I’ve learned three primary things:

1. Peace isn’t assurance that nothing bad will happen.

2. Peace comes from surrendering yourself and those you love to Jesus.

3. Peace comes from remembrance of what God has done in the past.

As I write this, Ken is having his quarterly cancer scan. We’ve been so grateful that over the last year and a half, it has either shrunk or remained stable. I have peace in knowing God is in control. I CHOOSE to live in this moment - today - because each day is a precious gift! As we await the results, I’ll meditate on David’s words in Psalms 143:5:

I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.

Friends, people in Babylon are watching us. Haven’t we all seen God’s faithfulness? Remember what He has done! Do not be anxious but rest in God’s perfect peace.