Colossians 3 Peace
Mustard Seed Chronicles: Story Time with LU Grandma
About five years ago the Lord showed me something in His Word I had not seen before in all the 46 years I have been walking with Him. It has changed the way I think about the things that are transpiring in our world. I pray it helps all of you, too, and that fear will no longer have control over any of us.
Before Jesus left this earth, He gathered His disciples together, and in John 14:27 He said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” I had read that many times, but I guess I never saw the ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’ as commands (emphasis mine). But they ARE!
Since Jesus meant for us to not be afraid, why is anxiety so prevalent in our Christian brothers and sisters of every age? We all want peace. I can’t tell you how many times I have prayed for peace for myself or others and have heard others pray the same way.
When I was still in upstate NY at our church for 18 years, I taught children in fourth through sixth grades on Wednesday evenings. One of the lessons I would teach on rotation every three years was Colossians 3. I called it “Paul’s Clothes Closet” because it is the section when he tells us to “take this off-put this on.” I even had a piece of foam board that I had drawn a child in dirty clothes on one side and a clean one on the other. The clothing was all labeled.
Somehow, for all those years. I never included verse 15: “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” (emphasis again is mine).
Jesus says He gave us His peace.
He didn’t give us a part of it, or a smidgen of it. He gave us His peace! In fact, if we are true believers, we have the very Prince of Peace living within our souls! So, if we are not living in peace, then who is at fault? We are. The blame is all ours because we are not allowing the peace that He already gave us to rule in our hearts. We are not obeying the command he gave us first, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Knowing without a doubt how much our Lord loves us, how strong He is, how He is omniscient and omnipotent, and controls history, why are we afraid? I believe it is because we do not really, truly and fully trust Him with everything in our lives and that is due to us not knowing the scriptures as we ought. It is full of promises from Him.
“Thy word have I hid in my heart.”
So, with all that being said, I pray from this day on that you will not be locked into a cage of fear and anxiety, but that your heart and mind will live freely and confidently in His peace. Memorize His words and tell yourself what is true. Practice what it means to being thankful in all kinds of circumstances. It is working for me even with ailing family members, global unrest, and continued pandemic concerns.
Let Christ’s peace rule your lives.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Our enemy aims for us to be totally paralyzed with fear, to be so stressed out we cannot think straight. We experience severe health issues, and some minds are so fractured and dark with the enemy’s lies that they die from suicide! You have given us the antidote to anxiety and the shield against fear! Your Word is our helmet of salvation, our breastplate of righteousness, our sword of truth. Your promises are our new identity in Jesus Christ. Help us all, LORD, to soak ourselves in Your peace. May we remember it at all times and refuse to allow fear to intrude our thoughts.
In the precious name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!
Meet the Author
Timi Plyter
“LU Grandma”
Lead Parent Advocate
