Jeremiah 29:11:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope***
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Doesn�t it give you a warm feeling when someone you love says �I�ve been thinking about you�? Have you considered the fact that God thinks about you?
God is thinking about peace for your life. When one lives life close to God he can know inner peace in the midst of outer storms. Paul in Philippians 4 urges us to rejoice always. It may seem impossible to rejoice when our child has rebelled or our boss has been unfair or our spouse has left, but notice that God didn�t say �rejoice about everything.� The Word says �rejoice always.� In other words, rejoice during the storm. We have all seen or maybe experienced individuals running to a storm cellar to avoid the destruction of a tornado. Being in the cellar doesn�t stop the storm but it does provide safety in the midst of the storm. Isn�t that cellar something to rejoice in? When we live each moment at peace with God we are afforded a safe haven even in the midst of stormy times. He won�t take away all the pain and disappointment, but the things that matter most (our soul, hope, etc.) He can protect.
What must we do in order to have this joy and peace even in the midst of storms?
1. Be Joyful (vr 4): Look for reasons to rejoice. God�s people aren�t pessimists but have the greatest reasons to be optimists.
2. Be Disciplined (vr 5): Calm, godly reactions will make any situation better. I arrived at a home just after a wife slashed her husband�s tires because she doubted his faithfulness. Needless to say, her reaction didn�t help the situation. Vengeance is the Lord�s ( Romans 12:19). Living under God�s control means that even in the midst of storms our actions are righteous, which empowers us to know His peace. When we lose it (our temper), we lose more than a temper�we lose the peace of God.
3. Be Confident (vr 5-6): Remaining under God�s control builds confidence because we know God is with us. In spite of the storm, those who react with God�s wisdom know God is still near them. They know they can take it all to Him in prayer. This is the way to avoid anxiety. God can handle it (vr 5).
4. Be Guarded (vr 7): We all need protection. Living in the peace of God offers understanding we could never know on our own. Knowledge is power. Godly knowledge is a powerful protection of our heart and mind. The greatest peace dwells here. Are you allowing God to guard?
God is thinking about you � and your peace with Him which will �give you a future and a hope.�