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 » VICES, VIRTUES, AND EMOTIONS – Week 30 – PEACE
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# VICES, VIRTUES, AND EMOTIONS – Week 30 – PEACE
* July 24, 2024
By Mike Chaffin
***But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.*** 
          We’ve looked at fear and worry and anxiety. We’ve seen how faith and hope work to relieve us of those rotten emotions. Living in faith, and not losing hope, leads to the ultimate, and God ordained outcome, of peace.
          Jesus, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, gives us the ability to have peace even when it looks like the world is crumbling around us. A peaceful spirit is often described as a quiet mind. This is a spiritual condition that says no matter what the world throws at me I will not be shaken. It gives us the ability to think rationally, in wisdom and knowledge instead of letting anxiety rob of us good and Godly decisions.
          Jesus gives us His peace when we believe in Him as Lord and Savior.
***Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27***
         No fear, no worry, no anxiety. Those are the devil’s tools to disrupt our faith and hope in Christ. Those are the antithesis of the peace we receive when we trust in God.
         Peace is one of the pieces of Holy Spirit armor we can put on. Paul describes it as our shoes. When our feet hurt our whole body is in pain and can’t function properly. We’ve all had a pair of bad shoes that cause us to worry about blisters and cuts, sometimes to the point of shutting us down. When we walk in God’s peace our whole body is at peace and we will not fall to worry, fear or anxiety.
***Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.*** 
        When asked to describe God most will say He is love, or a God of love. However, Paul expands that definition. God is a God of love and peace. In Him we are given His love and peace.
***Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11***
       Decades ago, when peace was synonymous with a quiet mind, an unknown poet penned these words.
I have many a cross to take up now,
and many left behind;
But present troubles move me not,
nor shake my quite mind.
And what may be tomorrow’s cross
I never seek to find;
My Father says, “Leave that to me,
and keep a quiet mind.”
 **Prayer: Lord thank you for the peace you give me. It is a peace so indwelling in my spirit that I am not shaken when faced with trials as I trust in you. My faith and hope are in you. I thank you for your gracious gift of salvation and the peace and love that comes with it. In Jesus’ name, amen.**
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 » VICES, VIRTUES, AND EMOTIONS – Week 31 – GRIEF
# VICES, VIRTUES, AND EMOTIONS – Week 31 – GRIEF
* July 31, 2024
***Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.*** 
               Grief is a many faceted emotion. Some Psychiatrists say there are five stages to grief while others list seven: shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing, and acceptance. It doesn’t have to be a negative emotion. Grief can be very healing if we go through it properly. Being in grief is often recommended by scripture.
Pastor and theologian Tim Challies said about grief, “What is this Christian form of grieving? Christians experience grief but without despair, sorrow but without defeat, sadness but without hopelessness. It’s true sorrow *and* earnest hope. These things don’t cancel out one another. We feel the great weight of sorrow *and* the great thrill of hope.”
One major problem of grief is the physical toll it can take on us. We can get stuck to the point of not functioning. We become ill, don’t sleep, or eat. Job, in the depth of his trials said it best,
                    ***My eyes have grown dim with grief; my whole frame is but a shadow. Job 17:7***
Grief is natural. It is something we all will go through from time to time. Jesus told His disciples they would grieve for Jesus when the world crucified Him. But grief should always be short lived, our trust in God and prayers, helping us to recover.
However, when we are the cause of someone else’s grief we are said to be grieving them. This is a sin.
Furthermore, when we are the source of someone else’s grief we cause chaos and more sin. Through foolish decisions we can grieve our loved ones. Worse yet is when we grieve God. Asaph in a psalm of teaching said about the Israelites in the wilderness on their journey to the promised land,
                  ***How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the wasteland! Psalm 78:40***
           Paul warned against grieving the Holy Spirit. If we are God’s children, we grieve God when we behave badly and act foolishly. Rebellion leads to judgment. Isaiah warned the Israelites centuries earlier about this issue.
                 ***Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them. Isaiah 63:10***
          If we are God’s children and bring grief to our heavenly Father, who is indwelling us by his Holy Spirit, we can expect to be disciplined. We have a loving Father who would rather see us in grief over the discipline He brings than lost in our sins.
          Isaiah shows us the consequences of grieving the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us not to.
                ***And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30***
When we grieve God, we are at risk of losing the peace that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It can move us further away instead of closer to Him. If you feel separated from God, it could be you have grieved Him. The great news is He is a patient and loving Father who will run to you when you come to Him for forgiveness.
**Prayer: Dear Lord, I am sorry I have grieved you repeatedly in my sins and behavior. Forgive my sins. Help me to live for you in a righteous relationship. Help me through any grief I have in my life, leaning on you for healing and comfort. In Jesus’ name, amen.**