Tag: Peace

Maturity From the Heart

We are too often corrupted. Not even by things that are overtly corrupting. It comes from those things that are meant for in more youthful times. We are to seek maturity and not chase after our youth and those things that of our youthful time.

“22So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” – 2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV)

When young, we seek things of youth. We look for fun and enjoyment in the moment. And when the moment passes, we move on to the next moment. We are limited in responsibility and therefore, those moments get in the way less often than when we are in a more mature season of life. Don’t get me wrong, we should be seeking enjoyment and joy in our lives. I am not advocating for no fun or living in the moment. We should however be grounded in maturity and seeking more sustainable joy and enjoyment.

As we see in the verse above, Paul guides Timothy to those joys and enjoyment that are of a more mature way. “Righteousness, faith, love, and peace” are where we should be seeking that joy and enjoyment. These are the more mature attributes, and we will find stability and comfort in them. There is more depth to them and more thought that comes with them. They are found deep inside us and are guided from, yes you guessed it, the heart. It is from our heart, where the LORD dwells, that we find the more lasting and mature things in life.

As we grow, we not only grow in size and age, but we should be growing in maturity as well. We should be pursuing those things that come with maturity such as those listed by Paul to Timothy. We are to grow up find the LORD in our heart and allow Him to guides us forward through the Holy Spirit. We are to find our joy and enjoyment in seeking the LORD and all that He has to offer in our lives.

And for those who ask what about the fun of our youth, where does that fit. Well, it still fits and should be a part of our lives, only we are not to seek after them and if/when they taking over our focus, we are to run from them. The word Paul uses above is to “flee” or run away from those things that are not building us up in the LORD. We will find ourselves in moments of youthful fun, and we should enjoy our time in those moments, yet they should be just that in our lives, just moments. As we grow in maturity, those moments are no longer “passions” but just moments of enjoyment that we find along our path with the LORD.

Where are you spending your time? Are you seeking out continually the passions of your youth? What if you were to flee from those and sought out the maturity that comes from the LORD, righteousness, faith, love, and peace that He has in your heart where He abides?

Find Peace in the LORD, Not Man

Aren’t we all looking for peace. I know that I am and will look any and everywhere. I am in a constant search for the safety and comfort to just be. What I have found to this point is that I am not going to find it in man. I am not going to be able to dwell in a place where man is “leading” the way. I say “leading” in quotes, because I do know that man is really not leading the way in anything. It is either God or the evil one leading the way. When man is “leading” there is selfish actions and work being done and I how can I follow the actions of someone who is out for themselves and not for others.

“2O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?

How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?”

— Psalm 4:2 (ESV)

David could see the selfishness in man as noted above. The lies and honor were in themselves and not in the LORD. As we place our trust and actions in man, we will be betrayed and will find ourselves in a place that is seemingly worse than where we started.

On the other side of things, when we are trusting of the LORD to provide, we are able to find peace and safety and actions that are in our best interest as we do the work and take action that He leads us in.

“8In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

— Psalm 4:8 (ESV)

I see here in the words of David that peace comes when dwelling in the LORD. He was able to sleep well at night knowing that the work of the LORD was delivering Him. It was not the work of man, for as noted above, man would lie and would certainly not honor others.

Over the past few months I have had financial well being for Lori and me on my prayer list. I want to be clear in that I am not asking for riches, only that the LORD provide what we need. I have been at peace, knowing that the LORD will provide financially for us. Well, Lori had a medical procedure a bit ago and we have been awaiting final billing to make sure that we are not being overcharged. As usual with these things, there have been several rounds come through. It is only now that we feel the final bill has been presented to us. Here is where the peace of the dwelling in the LORD played out. Lori received a note from someone that we should proactively check on unclaimed property with the state. Wouldn’t you know it, there was some there that matched to the amount of the bill we had been presented. The LORD provided peace and resolution where man was reluctant as played out with the multiple rounds of billing.

It is in the LORD that we will find our peace and not in man. Yes, man may offer up some resolution, but will that resolution be in the best interest of you, maybe or maybe not. However, when we place our trust in the LORD, we can know that He will provide for our well being in the interest of peace and safety.

Where are you placing your trust? Are you relying on man to provide? What if you were to instead place your trust in the LORD knowing that He is looking out for you and your peace and safety?