Grace 101
High blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, heart attacks—all of these serious health issues are related to or seriously affected by stress. There are many more, of course. Some of the more “modern” diseases, those which are difficult to diagnose or cure, may be caused by stress. Add to that the health issues that come from behavior precipitated by stress—smoking, drinking, over-eating, etc. Stress is hard on us.
The Lord designed our bodies to respond to attack or danger in certain ways. Blood pressure, digestion, conversion of sugar to energy—these things change so that we are better prepared to fight or run or endure. But when our minds see danger where there is none, our bodies still prepare. Stress is usually the perception of danger.
Think about the last several times you suffered stress. Was there real danger? Did your body need to prepare for fight or flight? You might have had to make decisions, even serious decisions, but did your blood pressure need to go up? Probably not.
A good deal of the struggle we suffer comes from our perspective on the things of life. We can look at the same situation different ways. From one position, a job loss feels like we are being thrown into the sea without a life jacket or raft, doomed to failure and death. From another, that same job loss opens the door to a whole new life, one with more opportunity to fulfill our dreams. Much is affected by how we look at these things.
So, if you continue to sort through what was given to you in salvation, you will find a precious, but under-valued and under-utilized gift, the gift of peace.
Over and over God says that He gives peace to His people. Yet, I have found so many believers who live without peace. They live in fear of the future, fear of God, and anxiety because of sin. They long for peace, but live in stress. Sadly, they go to church and, instead of being told of the peace that is their gift, they receive more stress.
But the Lord offers peace. Peace in the midst of any trouble. Peace for the future and the past. The call that some teachers bring, the call to worry and fear, is a lie for believers. We are called to peace.
And this is not the deceptive peace of the world. You know what I mean. Just don’t think about the trouble. Just focus on the good in life. Block out all negative thoughts. That’s what the world offers. In fact, that’s about the best the world offers. And we always know the trouble is still there. And we are still inadequate to face it.
The Lord gives us peace in Himself. We face a world bigger than us and trouble bigger than us. But nothing is bigger than He is. He doesn’t push us out into this difficult world to fend for ourselves. He is with us—always. He is with us Himself, in person, in relationship. We face nothing alone—ever.
So we have peace concerning our future because our future is secure in Him. We have peace concerning our past because He has healed and redeemed our past. We have peace in the most difficult of circumstances because He is with us. That’s the amazing promise He gives to His people.
I know that there are times when we fear. Peace is not the absence of fear. Peace is the security and assurance we have in the midst of fear. One of the most powerful verses in Scripture is Psalm 56:3 .
“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”
That’s peace.
Grace for my Heart 
This is so very true! ..and it also applies to the anger the aftermath of a N leaving, when you think you finally are free and you find important things missing, broken, or you hear people whispering, or…or..or.. when you, a peaceful person, would hurl furniture at his head if he showed up again. Fear, sorrow, anger, hate, regret…all of these emotions can become yet another “god” in your soul to replace the physical one you just got rid of. The enemy is always there to happily supply you with alternatives…all of which are destructive to the PEACE from a LOVING GOD, your ever-present help, your healer, the lover of your soul. But turning to Him instead of the natural/normal bad emotions is a choice, a decision, a thing we have to be conscious of doing…a thousand times a day if needed. When I find myself getting carried away with these thoughts, it has helped me to say to myself “Stop! Those thoughts have become your “god”- if you continue, you will become sick all over again!” Then I start praising God, often it is “just” words, not much heart in it, but I remind myself that He inhabits the praises of His people, and eventually my spirit calms, joy enters, and peace reigns, and I fall in love with the Prince of Peace all over again. ..and then like in that hymn “and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”. And here, I have written myself happy again- I came in the house furious, frustrated, sat down and read the post from Dave, and had to write -angrily!! ;o)…and I preached myself joyful again! So, it does work! Don’t give up, you are SO LOVED!!!!