Carolyn Larsen - Words of Peace for Women

But blessed is the one who trusts in the L ORD ,

whose confidence is in him.

They will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.

J EREMIAH 17:78

S ome situations in life not only steal your peace but also sap the energy out of your soul, or so it feels. For example, if you are in a bad relationship, whether its a marriage, a friendship, a sibling relationship, or a parent-child relationship, the dailiness of dealing with those struggles is draining. Strength runs out. Hope of the relationship ever being better disappears. Peace is gone.

The lifeline available to you that will give you strength to get up each day in peace and hope and to keep on going is trust in the Lord. The image in these verses in Jeremiah is beautiful because the roots that began at the first signs of life of the tree have grown deep into the ground and now provide the nourishment the tree needs to survive.

When you accept Jesus as your Savior the roots of your faith in him begin to grow. Now, when you struggle, the strength of faith travels to your heart through those roots. This provides the nourishment you need to keep going each day in peaceful trust that God has things under control and that he will give you the strength and persistence you need exactly when you need it. Nothing can defeat you when your trust is in God.

Take the First Step

Joseph said to them, Dont be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, dont be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

G ENESIS 50:1921

I f anyone had a solid reason to be angry, it was Joseph. His own brothers sold him into slavery then lied to their dad by saying Joseph had been killed by an animal. Joseph became a slave in Egypt, and then he became a prisoner when someone lied about him. But God used Josephs position for good and he ended up a ruler, second only to Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Of course, even in that elevated position, he had lost his familyall eleven brothers and his beloved dad.

When his brothers came to Egypt to buy food so they wouldnt starve, Joseph could easily have tossed them in prison as payback for their awful behavior. But he didnt. Throughout his life, Joseph tried to honor and obey God. At this point, he could actually see Gods hand in all that had happened to him. He chose to forgive his brothers and live in peace.

Forgiveness doesnt come easily when youve been deeply hurt. Asking God to help you forgive and then allowing him to move in your heart is a choice. You must take the first step of asking Gods help and then the first action of kindness, even if you dont feel the forgiveness yet. It will come.