SCRIPTURE
John 14:27 NIV 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.

NUGGET
Real life carries more nuances than we’d like to admit…sometimes it can feel painfully redundant and progress feels exhaustingly slow. If only life were more like an ever moving straight timeline. It would be tempting to get to the end of this week and try to tie everything together with a big bow. Almost as if there’s a formula for walking through seasons of sadness. But God never promised us the absence of pain or problems because He’s promised us something else. His presence. His peace.

This goes without saying that some of us will have (or have had) loss that will be incapable of being written down. This is not lost on the one who made us and His presence and peace never run dry… no matter how many times we may cry out to Him.

ACTIVATION
The peace of God is greater than we know. We don’t have to understand it to rest in it. Take time today to ask the Lord for physical reminders of His peace and presence in your current circumstance. A phone call from a friend, a bird singing outside, a gentle breeze on your face. Get specific and watch how the Lord moves.

PRAYER
Lord, today my prayer is simple. I want to experience your peace and be more aware of your presence in a tangible way. Open my eyes to see all the ways You are with me in the middle of my struggle. In Jesus name...amen.

Devo by Rachael Thomas
Photo by Joanna Nix-Walkup on Unsplash