Accept His Gift of Peace

“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.”

─ John 14:27 NIV

Hurricane Laura hit Samantha’s hometown of Lake Charles, Louisiana on Thursday, August 27th with water and incredible high winds. She and her daughters were tucked safely away in Austin with extended family, but her thoughts remained constantly on her husband, Daryl, who remained behind working on the water as a tugboat captain, working to take the bigger boat crews to safety.

Once the storm ceased and winds calmed, she received a text from her husband that he’d finished his shift, and all was well. They both drove separately toward their home, not sure what they’d find. Neighbors had already told them they could see damage to their roof and their windows were all blown out.

As Samantha navigated the neighborhood roads leading to her driveway, she suddenly realized she was not afraid, worried or concerned. A great sense of peace had settled into her heart over the past 24 hours. She commented to her sister in a text later, “I’ve had such peace through all of this, even seeing the damage to my house. I know many people are praying for me.  And not once did God leave me on my own. I’ve felt His presence, as if He were holding tightly to my hand.”

Many of us this year experienced moments that felt like the world might just come apart at the seams. Jesus knew that we’d have days, weeks and months like these. That’s why He said in our verse today, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLT).

Doing what Jesus asks can be difficult, but His peace is a promise He wants you to experience by faith.

Today’s One Thing

If you need peace today, shift your eyes from the problem in front of you to the answer God has for you. Open your Bible and read encouraging stories and Psalms that build you up. Start with Jesus encouraging words in John 14. Take a highlighter and mark each encouraging word in that chapter. Then choose one to memorize and repeat to yourself throughout the day.

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