You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV
It seems the news of our ever-changing world continues to try to erode our peace. Every day we hear more and more concerning news about a dismal future; every day, our new reality chips away at our peace. That erosion can impact our marriages if we allow our fears to take our peace. If we try to manage our fears on our own, we are going to struggle to find grace for our spouses. I am so thankful in these days that He promises to keep us in perfect peace—peace that completes us and makes us whole, the peace that runs deep in our soul, the peace that surpasses our understanding. He doesn’t just promise to bring us peace, He promises to keep us in perfect peace.
Many of us can find peace for the moment, but it is often fleeting. We tie our peace to some reality happening—our spouse responding thoughtfully, our financial situation becoming secure, our health remaining protected. When these things we’ve identified as necessary to feel at peace are happening, we’re able to hang on to our comfort and security. We think we’re in a good place, but then our spouse throws out some hurtful words, something doesn’t go according to plan, we get that tragic phone call, or the news shares another bleak reality. When our peace comes from the world, it can be temporary and fleeting. It can feel satisfying in the moment, but if our peace has a worldly perspective, it will not last.
The peace that comes from above has staying power—He promises to keep us there. He promises to keep us in peace. Who are the people He keeps in perfect peace? Those whose minds are set on Him. When we keep our minds on Him, when we settle our thoughts on Him, when we focus our meditations on Him, we are kept in perfect peace. When we allow the world, our struggles, or our emotions to draw our attention off of Him, our perfect peace is interrupted. To have this perfect peace He promises, our minds cannot be set on Him occasionally, or just once or twice a week, it needs to be set on Him constantly. If our minds are focused on ourselves, on our problems, or the people in our lives, we are not going to find ourselves kept in His perfect peace.
This takes work and intention, especially in a marriage between two people who are easily distracted from each other and from Him and now trapped in a house together. The enemy works hard to distract our thoughts from God, but we can choose to discipline our minds to stay on Him. We can choose to encourage our spouse to keep our eyes focused on God. Get into the Word every day, surround yourself with people of God, post scriptures around your house, listen to worship music, memorize scripture—whatever you need to do to keep your mind on Him, do it. Make the choice to keep your minds focused on Him because He promises if we keep our minds stayed on Him, He will keep us our marriages in perfect peace.
Press on ~ you are loved 💗
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