Peace, Courage, Strength

This week when I looked up the scriptures that went along with my Jesus Calling devotional for the day, this one spoke so loudly to me, I screen shotted it.

Let my perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge. John 14:27

That pretty much covers what I need most.

The first word I notice is “let.” This seems to connote that I can actually resist and not let something happen. For me, the making room for receiving, the “letting,” lies in my admitting that I am in need and choosing to trust that God can meet me in my deepest points of need.

And, of course, when you feel like you’re just trying to keep your boat from capsizing in a storm, the thing you are desperate for is peace and calm.

Courage. It’s what the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz was in search of. Did he really need the medal of honor bestowed on him by the Wizard to be courageous? He’d already shown glimpses of true bravery while accompanying Dorothy to Oz. Maybe all along, he was more courageous than he thought he was. Maybe that’s true for most of us.

Strength. This just covers so much. It doesn’t mean not crying or not hurting. It doesn’t mean puffing up or spouting off. It means that instead of lying on the mat while the ref counts you down and out, you move. You stay in until the final round.

Challenge. We face these every day. Thankfully, most of them don’t have the power or consequence to threaten to take us out of the game.

God, help me to let your perfect peace bring calm in every one of my circumstances and give me courage and strength for every one of my challenges. Amen.