Living from a place of rest and peace

What is your starting place for life?

We all have different starting places. Here are just a few:

• “Let’s see what adventure we have in store for today”
• “I sure hope today is better than yesterday”
• “Oh no, today I have to __________________”
• “Yet again, I didn’t get enough sleep last night…”
• “Let me get some coffee and then we can talk”

And the list goes on.

For me however, I can’t tell you how many times my starting place for life has more to do with how I am feeling or what circumstances (or people) I have been dealing with than it does a healthy starting place.

I often begin days with fear, trepidation or anxiety.

And depending on where I start from, that impacts how I act and react in my day.

But the Lord is presently challenging me with a Bible verse:

“Let the peace of Christ…rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15)

That word rule seems so important to me. It means that the peace of Christ must be in charge, call the shots, make decisions and even control and direct me. The peace of Christ must be the arbiter of all things  and be preeminent in my life.

So do I say things, do things and even meditate on things out of a place of letting the peace of Christ rule?

How would my life change if I approached everything from a place of resting in Christ, trusting Him, letting His peace rule?

If I engage with every person, circumstance and feeling from a place of abiding in Christ, leaning on His promises, meditating on His goodness, surrendering to His will, and breathing in His peace, how will that change how I live?

I am still on this journey, but to me, I can’t imagine a better place to start from or a better way to center my life than to abide in rest and peace and trust and then proceed gently and full of faith and assurance in God and His promises.

What would it look like if you lived your life from a starting and centering place of rest and peace?