Bite Size Bible Study: LET Peace

It's been way too long since I've done a Bite Size Bible Study!!! In case you haven't read one before - and you probably haven't since it's been so long - here's a recap. These are just small focused thoughts from Jesus for you to grab onto. It's not intended to replace time with the Lord but instead to provide one bite for our distracted minds to ponder. One bite for our spirits to let take root. Sometimes all my brain can retain is one bite!

So here we go! This one has been rolling around in my heart so let's make it short and to the point. Ha! We'll attempt it.

Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Huh. Hmmmmmm. Excuse me did you say let the peace? As in me? Oh my.

Let's be honest - here's what I would like to see happen - please observe exhibit A: I am having one of those days. You know the ones. I feel pulled in a million directions. Nothing I seem to start gets the chance to be finished. Everyone needs something. Whatever happened to that goal to work out three times this week? Oh yes - the stomach bug. There simply seems to be no chance to settle, to focus, to accomplish. AND I FEEL LIKE YELLING!!!!!!!!! So what would I like here? Why, I'd like peace to come and literally boll me over. I'd like peace to come and supernaturally close my mouth when it's on the brink of pointless venting. And yes, peace, I'd like you to invade my brain. Go ahead - invade it. YOU try taking those thoughts captive! You look at my list of things to do and determine which ones are most important. You go ahead and do your thang peace sister!

Well friends, you know how successful that has been! LOL. Not very.

And so we come back to Colossians 3. LET the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. I find myself realizing that I pray for peace for my friends a lot. I ask God to give my husband peace. I implore the Lord to bring peace to my heart on days like this. But perhaps that's not really the right request? If I really believe that Jesus - fully Himself - now lives inside of me, that I hold His precious presence in my very being - then Peace already resides in me. He holds camp in my heart. And I guess that means that it's my choice to indeed let the peace of Christ rule in my heart. To let it rule. To let it win. To let it have its way in my thoughts and how I view that illusive to-do list.

So today I'm choosing to step aside. To say 'Jesus You are peace that passes my understanding. You ARE peace in the storm. You are the Prince of Peace. So I'm going to remember that You're fully You inside of me today. I don't need to intercede for fifteen minutes to get peace. I just need to step aside and you'll do your thing.' Ahhhhhhh that makes me want to take a deep breath.

So let's take a deep breath of His peace together.

Here's Colossians 3:15 from the Amplified to give it a little more juice:

"And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]."

Love y'all,
Abi