Finally, brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy— think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or
heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the peace of God will be
with you. (Philippians 4:8, 9)
There have been instances in life when the feeling of having
been thrown to the wolves overcame me. Truly knowing the feeling of God’s peace
and presence at those times may have given me a different perspective of
things.
In the not too distant past, I was faced with having to make
an untimely, life altering decision. Whether or not to walk away from a
situation was in question as to yet again turn the other cheek was not an
option. When situations become so untenable that understanding and resolution
are not part of the equation the question becomes how do I respond?
In such situations, instinctively, we may find ourselves in
fight or flight mode when a choice must be made before a situation spins out of
control and our overall well being is at risk.
In reading this scripture I am reminded of the importance of
having charge over my own perception and response, important things to consider
and the outcome in doing so.
My choice was to walk away. In the very moment of that
decision I felt God’s peace. In the months that followed, and in my uneasiness
of what the future had in store, I gained deeper insight into some of God’s
most precious gifts … His peace, love and faithfulness.
Heavenly Father, thank
you for the gifts of discernment, courage, faith and Your peace in life’s
troublesome times. In Jesus’ name.
© 2014 Atalie Shackelford
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