With so much chaos and tumultuous anger freely flowing these days, where can we find peace and encouragement? Yesterday I received my daily text from a local pastor with Scripture that was perfect: Set your eyes on the world and be discouraged. Keep your eyes on Jesus and be encouraged! “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” (Is 26:3-4)

I took that Word in yesterday, having no idea how much I would need it at the end of the day. I think I mentioned to y’all last month that I had some health issues that landed me in the hospital. Since then, there’s been several doctor appointments and testing done. Yesterday afternoon I received some news on my carotid doppler test that first struck me as scary.

While I was ready to get home, crawl in a ball in bed and cry, the Holy Spirit encouraged me to call my friend Connie, who is a nurse and a dear friend in my women’s Bible study. I asked the Lord to have her answer, and she did. We talked and she explained all the reasons that my first or even second response did not need to be fear or depression. The Lord, the solid rock on which I stand, and who my mind was stayed on, kept me in perfect peace. Jesus promised His peace to us.  “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)

And He also promised that we will have trouble in this world, but we also have Him who has already overcome the world, and by extension we as His people are overcomers. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Yesterday the enemy tried to snare me in his trap to be fearful; to cause the cup of my joy in my salvation I wrote about just yesterday morning to spring a leak. And he set the trap because that’s what thieves do, they “come to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” so that my testimony for Christ will be mute. Alternatively, Jesus came “that [we] may have life, and… have it more abundantly” (see John 10:10).

But I recognized the scheme of the devil, and chose not to listen to his voice. Instead I listened to the Holy Spirit who encouraged me to call someone that He put in my life years ago, for just a moment such as this. The Lord never leaves out the details; He stands firm and by our side as He promised. “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Ps 18:2) Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness!