Nougat 6

Greetings to you my dear

I pray that you are coping with whatever has been sent your way in this season. Please receive today’s Holy Nougat

“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” Colossians‬ ‭3:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Although the message is primarily intended as a guide for human relationships, I’m inviting us to think about it in regard to our current situation.

For, if we can be at peace in these times, we may already be one step closer to better health. And we note, it is the peace that comes from Christ which we need to deal with the times; the kind that boggles our minds.

In securing Jesus’ peace, we may wish first to consider, am I not at peace? A few clues – poor sleep, feeling stressed, worried, or overwhelmed; low energy despite being healthy; and also, being at odds with others (sometimes for no good reason).

Having determined whether our system is off kilter, we may choose to determine the root of our feelings. Why? Because it is sometimes easier to eliminate the likelihood of recurrence by addressing the root problems. (And let’s try to be honest about it, as the aim is to invite God’s intervention). In this season, some of us worry about contracting the disease, about income, about having to stay home, and about the future, especially with regard to our national economies. Every single one of those concerns is legitimate, but how or what happens after is the challenge to our peace.

Many of us forgot to remind our spirits that when we are in God’s care, then good, bad or ugly, our future is in God’s hands; and thus worrying about the future suggests that we can manage without God’s intervention. We usually don’t get very far with that.

To chase the worry, doubt, fear or sadness away, we can pray and also uplift our spirits by focusing our thoughts on Christ and offering our praise for our blessings (no matter how few they seem at this moment). Kind of a ‘Lord I’m fearful about …, but I’m choosing to praise You for life, for what I have today, for Your ongoing provision and protection.’ It is also helpful to itemize the blessings. We may find that they are far more than we had thought.

And even as we celebrate Jesus, we continue to pray for the wellbeing of others, and for breakthrough in the spread of the global pandemic and for faith over fear; making those points of praise as we praise in faith that those prayers will receive God’s ‘yeses’.

Today I pray God’s peace for each of us, for an end to this pandemic, and; that we are thankful for the variety of blessings in our lives.

God bless you

In Christ’s love and grace . . .