When You Feel Crippled by the Chaos around You
From the Armor Series
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.” John 14:27 CSB
Hey friend!
We uncovered the shoes of peace in our armor series the last time we were together. You can find that post here if you missed it.
A few years ago I suffered from debilitating foot pain that was unbearable. I tried everything that I could think of to ease the suffering but nothing seemed to be working. I bought new shoes, new insoles, soaked my feet in Epsom salt, and tried every home remedy I could find. It didn’t matter what I did, I simply couldn’t stand the pain shooting through my feet. The pain was there whether I was sitting, lying down, or standing. Walking was difficult and running was completely out of the question. Finally I made an appointment with a podiatrist.
After a quick assessment it was determined that I was suffering from plantar fasciitis. If you have ever suffered from it, you know how debilitating it can be. It can land you off your feet quicker than you can count to ten.
The same debilitating thing happens in our Christian walk when we aren’t wearing God’s shoes of peace. When peace is absent, we become crippled by the chaos around us and sidelined on the bench of life. Unprotected and unable to move forward. The Roman soldier’s shoes were critical because they offered protection for their feet. The solider would be out of commission if his feet became injured.
The crazy thing about life is we never know when a storm or a trial is on the horizon. I’ve always heard the phrase, “you are either about to go into a storm, you are in the middle of a storm, or you have just come out of a storm.” Life’s storms are inevitable. It may come as a cancer diagnosis, relationship heartbreak, financial chaos, or a job lay-off. We can’t control when the storms come or how severe they are when they get here. But what we can control is allowing God to slip His shoes of peace on us to anchor us in the storm and trust that everything else is in His control.
Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace and is found all throughout the Old Testament. The fascinating thing about the word Shalom is it doesn’t mean that there isn’t any chaos. Trust me - there is still chaos. What’s fascinating about Shalom is it is a deeply rooted peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility in the midst of chaos. True peace is stable when everything else is spinning out of control. It is a peace that exceeds mere human comprehension. This kind of peace protects us against the enemy. It allows us to think clear and move steady. Without it, we become incapacitated and unfit for battle.
Sweet friend, you might be in one of these storms right now. You know, the kind where you feel like you are about to be pulled under any minute. You feel like you can’t catch your breath. You have cried so much that you wonder where the next tear will even come from. You can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and maybe, just maybe you are wondering where God is or where this peace is that I write about. I completely get it. I really do. I, too, have walked through dark storms. I have heard the cancer diagnosis, and experienced the job lay-off and the financial chaos. I have buried a beautiful baby girl and felt heartbreak over and over that I didn’t think my heart could break anymore. I really do get it.
But the one thing that anchored my feet to the rock was God’s peace that I couldn’t explain. I couldn’t see the outcome in any storm that I walked through but I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was all going to be alright. I was going to be alright. And sweet friend, you will to.
Hold onto Jesus. Listen to Him as he says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.”
Strap on your shoes and walk confidently in His unshakable peace.
Dear God,
Thank you for never leaving me or forsaking me. We have come through some dark places but I’m so thankful that you were always with me. Thank you for your unshakable peace that permeates through every situation I face. Continue to help me lock my gaze on you and only glance at my problems. In Jesus name, Amen.
Dig Deeper:
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” John 16:33 CSB
Reflection:
Where do you feel the most unrest or lack of peace in your life? Reflect over a few of these areas, jotting down any other areas that you think of and commit to pray over these.
Your heart – mind – body- soul
In your marriage
With your kids
At your job
In your friendships
In your finances