Written By: Kirk Peterson
Dark
Storms
Recently some significant events happened in my
life. These were things that were not
about me but about someone who is very close to me. I told this person that love is sacrifice, and there
is only a handful of people in this world that I can say this about—that I
loved this person so much that I
would be willing to die for them. Jesus
told us that there is no greater love for someone then to be willing to lay
down one’s own life for your friends, and I meant every bit of the weight of
those words that I said to them. (John
15:13)
So many times in this life we try to fix things. I know that I wanted nothing more than to fix
the darkness that surrounded the one close to me. I could see perilous roads ahead that lead to
destruction and suffering, and I told myself I wasn’t going to let those things
happen. I decided I was going to make a
stand and fight for this person and use everything I had to keep them safe,
directing their life the way that I thought it should go!
I made a decision that I felt was in the best
interests of this person and went around behind their back. Even though it went against a promise that I
had made them, I felt that the consequences of not acting were so significant,
that I went ahead with the course of action that I felt was right. It was later, as this person was confronting
me about what I did, even though they said they saw why I did what I did, believing
it was the right thing, the unintended consequences of my actions were too great and the cost was too much for them. It was at this very moment in our
conversation, sitting out on my front porch in our tattered and warn from age
and elements director’s chair, looking out on God’s creation with the warm sun
and weather painting in the background, that God’s Holy Spirit showed
me something!
Peace
of Christ
I realized that this dark spiral that had surrounded this
person had somehow become my own. I had somehow picked up those same weights
and worries that this person was carrying that was dragging them down--and put
them on my back too. I was depressed and
sad, worried about this person…and somehow I had let all that same darkness seep
into my life as well.
Almost like a breath of fresh air, the spirit whispered to me “let go.” Let go of all that weight I was carrying. Let go of all that worry over the darkness and destruction that laid ahead. This person knew how much I loved them, this person knew that I was there to support them and catch them if they fell, and from the moment that I listened to the living, breathing spirit of God, the weight was gone! The peace of Christ had wrapped its loving arms around me and gave rest to my soul. (Matthew 11:28-30)
A
Peace only Christ can give
I believe that God is all around us. He is everywhere. Even now, when I was writing about his
Spirit, my youngest son woke up from his afternoon nap. I’m sure some of you parents out there
reading this can relate, but when Cole wakes up early from his nap, he can get
into these terrible tantrum crying fits.
He works himself up so much that
he can actually make himself puke from crying so hard? As I was trying to
comfort my son, I prayed to God that if it was the enemy attacking him, that in
the name of His son Jesus Christ to bind the enemy, for I know that the enemy
has no power over Jesus. Jesus is stronger. I told Cole to be at peace, to not let
himself get so worked up over something as small as waking up too early. I said, don’t make something simple so hard. I smiled to myself as I said those words to
him, because I know that is something God had showed me as well about my own
weights that I carry.
As I started to scratch his head, his eyes became heavy
and he fell back asleep. Cole has a lot of
me in him, and I find rest all the time by falling asleep to my wife Heidi
scratching my head, just like my son did now.
LISITEN
CLOSE MY FRIENDS TO THESE WORDS: No
matter the darkness that you find yourself entangled in. No matter the terrible weight that you are
carrying. No matter the circumstances dragging
you down in life--there is a peace that is available to you. This peace is like a warm blanket on a cold and
frosty day. It comforts you like nothing
else in this world can. This peace is
something that ONLY Jesus can give you, not any other God, nor do all roads
lead to God--this peace is only from Him.
I pray now that you can come to Christ, casting your cares and worries
upon him, and may his light give rest to your souls!
Jesus
Calms the Storm
35As
evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of
the lake.” 36So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds
behind (although other boats followed). 37But soon a fierce storm came up. High
waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. 38Jesus was
sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke
him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” 39When
Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!”
Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40Then he asked them,
“Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41The disciples were
absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind
and waves obey him!” (Mark 4:35-41, NLT)
See
Hillsong United’s “Oceans (Where feet may fail)” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUCtfsyI-5I
May the peace
of Christ bring rest to your souls.
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