Have you ever stopped and checked in with your own heart to see what’s going on in your mind and the pit of your belly to see if you are living out of what Jesus says is yours through Him?

 

Are you filled with supernatural peace and joy without end?

 

Or are you living in turmoil with knots in your stomach and pressure on your chest?

 

Tell me, where in the Bible does it say that kind of living should be expected?

 

The Bible says that we will face trials, but peace is ours through Jesus.

 

Do you have peace?

 

If not, why not?

 

Maybe you’ve been trusting yourself through life, and not God. Maybe you’ve even convinced yourself that because you’re a Christian and the Bible says God will never leave you nor forsake you, seeking His guidance in life is just not something you think about. Maybe you are gauging your comfort and successes outwardly instead of checking in with Him, living with a constant inner peace.

 

It’s easy to convince ourselves that once we arrive at our ideal destination is when we’ll be happy, so we don’t even bother learning to walk in the joy that is available through Jesus before we hit our goal . . . or the vacation that we believe will give us a break so we can finally have some “peace.” If that’s wired into our belief system, then what happens when something in life blocks our forward motion? Most likely we become defeated and hopeless. We are running our race, leaving God in the dust instead of grabbing His hand and learning what it means to live in unforced rhythms of grace.

 

Remember what Jesus said?

 

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” — Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

 

Our humanistic belief systems are hardwired in us, and it is up to us to shatter the strongholds in our minds and get our thinking lined up with a Kingdom mindset. We have to get into the Word and read it with fresh eyes and an open heart that is willing to receive and believe that we have full access to the abundant life that Jesus paid for here and now!

 

We have to stop deciding what we have through Jesus and learn what we have through Him. We have to start taking God’s Word in as if our life depended on it . . . which in reality, it does.

 

If God is the Creator of all things, and His Word unlocks all that we have in Him and through Him, including the most infallible life manual (the only infallible one) you will ever read, then we have to start believing God at His Word with childlike wonder.

 

I’m praying that you go after everything the Bible says belongs to you until you are living in the fullness of life and joy that Jesus paid for!

 

Much love, J

 

P.S. Today’s encouragement was quoted from my book, Ripple Effect: A Transformational Journey into God’s Heart that Will Change You from the Inside Out. I pray these words met you.