Tag: peace

Psalm 16:11 NKJV, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

At the start of the year, I shared that my phrase for 2026 was, “Choose Jesus, Embrace Joy” and that Psalm 16:11 is the scripture that inspired my phrase.  I mentioned that I was looking forward to learning more about choosing Jesus and embracing the joy that comes from abiding in His Presence. 

In my personal Bible study, I  just finished reading through the book of Leviticus, and Leviticus is a book that will certainly remind us of the gift that Jesus is. When I think of the presence of God and the freedom we have through Jesus Christ to enter into His presence and abide in Him, my heart overflows with thanksgiving and joy. The truth that a holy God would choose to live within us through His Spirit is mindblowing (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). These things are proof that God desires to be intimate with us. We never have to be without Him. He wants to commune with us daily and reveal Himself to us as we seek Him. He is not a far away distant God, but He is always with us, fully present. He is Jehovah Shammah, which means “The Lord is There.” 

As God has been teaching me more about His presence, He has been showing me that when I spend time in His presence, He gives me exactly what I need. His presence is greater than my greatest needs, desires or worries. Who He is surpasses anything or anyone. His presence is not just where we go to petition for blessings, He himself is the blessing. There is no end to what God can do when we spend time with Him. His presence restores us, comforts us, delivers us from fear, protects us, teaches us, convicts us and changes us. When we spend time in the presence of Almighty God, we learn that He is more than enough. He gives us the fullness of joy we need to continue our journey here on Earth, no matter the circumstances.

I have had times where I anxiously entered God’s presence, full of cares or worries, feeling drained from life, with a list of prayer requests. But as I enter, I can feel Him gently reminding me to just be still and take time to enjoy His presence and the blessings it alone can bring. Of course, God wants to hear what’s on our hearts and He tells us to make our requests known with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6) but He also wants us to remember that His presence is our greatest need. He is our refuge and strength. 

I pray you find great comfort in knowing that God is with you and that His presence alone, is more than enough. Below are some verses for reflection. God bless you.

1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Ps 37:7 NLT

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

Ps 46:10 ESV

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Ps 91:1-2 NKJV

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Ezekiel 48:35 NKJV

…The Lord is there.

1 Peter 3:10-11 ESV For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;  let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.”

These are wise words that help lead us to good days and a life we can enjoy. It challenges us to keep a guard over our tongues, turn from evil, do good, and to seek and pursue peace. Since our words and actions have an impact, asking God to help us to be mindful in these areas and being sure to talk to Him about our specific struggles will invite Him in to help us. 

We are often ready to get to the next season of life. Especially when we are going through something difficult. However, learning as much as we can right where God has us, will benefit us now and when we enter the next season of life. And the wisdom found in these verses to not indulge in harmful words and evil actions will help us as we go through the learning process. 

We often cannot fully perceive what we are missing out on until we are willing to trust God and obey what He is telling us to do. Then our obedience leads to blessings and better understanding. 

The final words of these verses say to seek peace and pursue it. I have found that peace brings clarity and the ability to better hear God’s voice and follow His leading. We serve a God who is willing to give us peace in exchange for our worries; so cast your worries on Him today because he cares for you (Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7).

Matthew 6:11 NIV, “Give us today our daily bread.”

Lately, I have thought of this verse to remind myself that the Lord is willing to give us our daily bread to navigate our lives. Not only through the trials we may face but also to get through our daily tasks and responsibilities. We just simply have to be willing to ask for help and then surrender to God and trust Him to answer. James 4:2 reminds us that we have not because we ask not. 

When we keep our focus on Jesus, we can take courage knowing He loves us and that even in the midst of our difficulties, He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). The lessons we are learning will make us even more wise and teach us more about the character of our God. And we never know who is watching us; how we act and what we say can inspire others and shine the Light of Jesus into their lives.

God sends us the people and resources we need to help us. He is the source of anything good and He is willing to share His goodness with us everyday. It’s a simple truth that is easy to overlook, especially when we feel pressure to have all the answers. But it’s true, all we have to do is ask. 

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Give us today our daily bread. 

In Jesus name. Amen. 

Galatians 5:16 NLT, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

Most of us can probably agree that it is not always easy to live by the Holy Spirit. As the verse mentions, the sinful nature rises up to entice us. Plus, we live in a hectic world that sends us many signals, signals that work to draw our hearts and minds away from the Lord. Remaining intentional about staying tuned in to the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit will help us to not be lead astray.

When we read and meditate on God’s Word, it will strengthen us so our thoughts and actions stay in line with His will. And honest communication with the Lord about everything through prayer, will remind us that He is with us, is sovereign over our lives and loves us unconditionally. Exchanging our worries for prayer, will also lead us to God’s perfect peace.

We all have times in life where we go through difficult challenges, and our faith and trust in God are tested. During these times, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us may seem especially hard, but no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, God is willing to help us in our time of need. Remember, nothing we face is too hard for God and He is faithful to us. He never changes. His love always remains the same. 

Psalm 36:5 ESV, “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”

Stay tuned in to the Lord. He promises to direct our paths as we trust Him.