8 Ways to Forfeit Your Peace

 
 

Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015) was an American missionary to South America, speaker, and author of more than 20 books including biographies and books on Christian living.

In Keep a Quiet Heart, Elliot writes,

 
 

"O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.”

— Joseph Scriven

Prayerlessness is one of the many ways by which we can easily forfeit the peace God wants us to have. I’ve been thinking of some other ways. Here’s a sampling:

  1. Resent God’s ways.

  2. Worry as much as possible.

  3. Pray only about things you can’t manage by yourself.

  4. Refuse to accept what God gives.

  5. Look for your peace elsewhere than in Him.

  6. Try to rule your own life.

  7. Doubt God’s word.

  8. Carry all your cares.

If you’d rather not forfeit your peace, here are eight ways to find it (antidotes to the above eight):

  1. “Great peace have they which love your law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165).

  2. “Don’t worry about anything whatever” (Philippians 4:6).

  3. “In everything make your requests known to God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving. Then the peace of God… will guard your hearts” (Philippians 4:6,7).

  4. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me… and you will find rest” (Matthew 11:29).

  5. “Peace is my parting gift to you, my own peace, such as the world cannot give” (John 14:27).

  6. “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15).

  7. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13).

  8. “Cast all your cares upon Him, for you are His charge” (1 Peter 5:7).

 
Christian LifeSarah Snyder