Unwavering Trust

Isa 26:3 NLT) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!

This morning we continue with : "Help! I'm getting STRESSED Out" Trust me when I say that in writing this I am so being attacked in this area myself. We are looking at Biblical ways to handle and deal with negative stress. I hope you enjoyed Christmas and that you have found a way to take a break from the normal hustle and bustle of life. I have and the break has been awesome. I have slept in a few days and have just enjoyed my time away from work even though it was only one day.

I have found that if I am not careful, stress can surely find a way into my life and once it gets in, it can negatively affect every area of my life. Another Biblical way to conquer the negative effects of stress is to take control of your thought life. At the end of the day, you are who you THINK you are. If you see yourself as blessed, you will subconsciously find ways to walk in the blessing. If you see yourself as stressed, you will subconsciously find ways to get stressed out. With that in mind, let's look at something the prophet Isaiah said about a peace that is available to those who fix and focus their minds on God, because of their underlying trust in Him!

Before we get into it I want you to read this verse from a couple of other translations as well. This will help you get a better understanding of what Isaiah is teaching us. God's Word translation reads: "With perfect peace you will protect those whose minds cannot be changed, because they trust you." The Bible in Basic English reads: "The man whose heart is unmoved you will keep in peace, because his hope is in you."

The Hebrew word translated "mind" in this text can refer to the mind itself or to anything that is formed by the mind - its thoughts, imaginations, plans, schemes, etc. Whether Isaiah is referring to the mind or what the mind produces, either way, the message is clear that when our mind (thoughts, plans, ideas, imaginations, etc.) is fixed and focused on God, there is an awesome peace that is made available to us.

Now, let's talk about this peace. While the English translations say "perfect peace," in Hebrew what is written is actually 'shalom shalom.' Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace and Isaiah repeats it as he writes this verse. Repeating a word was a Hebrew way of emphasizing a point. This perfect peace, or peace-peace, is a complete sense of wholeness, contentment, and rest that cannot be disturbed or agitated by pressures of life. Why? Because this person completely trusts in His God.

The trust factor is truly the key to this verse and it can easily be overlooked when reading it. Most people focus on the words "mind" and "peace" but only reason why our mind can be fixed and focused on God, undisturbed by the distressing anxieties of life, is because we trust Him. Listen, if you have read my messages for any length of time you know that I teach faith. The just shall live by faith and we cannot please God without it. Faith is absolutely essential to our walk with the Father. We are to express confidence (faith) in God and in His Word. But trust really takes us to another level. We stand in faith when we believe we know what God is going to do, in accordance with what He promised. But there are times when we have no clue what is going on or what God is going to do. On those occasions we better have our trust intact. Without trust we can easily cross over into doubt and once doubt grips our heart it is only a matter of time before we cross over into fear and unbelief.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that you must be able to trust God even when you cannot trace Him (know what He is going to do). Unwavering trust is what opens the door to peace-peace, this perfect peace that cannot be shaken, stirred, or disturbed! Do you trust God today?

Father, I thank You for this Word. I want that peace-peace that is available to me and I declare that I will receive it today, because I trust You. I live by faith and I stand on every promise You give me. But when I don't have a promise to stand on, and I am not at the faith stage, I still trust You. I trust You with my whole heart and my unwavering trust in You is what helps me keep my mind fixed and focused on Your goodness. I close the door to fear, doubt, and unbelief, I walk in faith and trust every day of my life, and I experience the life You desire for me to have! In Jesus' name. Amen.

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!