shalom
Magnets are fascinating. The motion of specific electric charges causes magnets to either attract or repel each other. When you place two poles of the magnet towards each other, the magnets repel furiously. This repulsion is inevitable and inescapable. The force of repulsion between the magnets will never allow the two poles to embrace one another.
In each of our lives, there are two forces of repulsion that hinder our peace: shame and hurry. Shame suppresses any desire to speak candidly with the Holy Spirit, while promoting an unhealthy motivation to cover up our bad actions with good ones. Shame destroys peace. The state of hurry cultivates patterns of anxiety and discontentment. Hurry destroys peace. God wants us to walk in the fullness of peace, but we must first understand how to handle the shame and the tendency to hurry in our lives. The forces of repulsion must be annihilated. The first step to destroying the forces of shame and hurry is to understand that peace is a person, not a feeling. Peace has a name. Shalom has a name. His name is Jesus.
The person of peace promises to be close. His peace does not present itself as an overflow of a series of fortunate events. Heavenly peace refuses to waiver. Peace is a gift, and peace is a promise. Humanity’s job is not to work to achieve to receive the prize of shalom. The offer is already on the table. Our job is to say yes, and then receive Him. There is an undeniable trend in the body of Christ that truly grieves the heart of the Father. People feel the responsibility to sink in their shame, rather than to receive the peace of God. The level of shame you carry is permanently linked to the level of peace you receive.
My favorite verse that attacks the human tendency to carry shame is Romans 5:1-2.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD. The implications of this Truth are endless. Striving for intimacy is now over. He has gifted shalom to us, giving us the opportunity to rest in Him. When we surrender our lives to Christ, the lens of God shifts as He looks upon us. He now sees a beautiful daughter or son, in whom He is well pleased. As God’s children, we should have a constant, thankful awareness of His sight. We must allow His view of our lives to influence the internal view of ourselves. The Holy Spirit’s job is to sanctify us, and we must simply allow Him to do that. We can never white-knuckle out way to “being better.” God began a good work in our hearts, and He will bring that good work into completion. If shame is pushing you to strive to sin less, God is asking you to let go. He is more than willing and more than capable to do the work of sanctification. The words “it is finished” permanently etched Shalom onto the hearts of those that would ever believe in Him.
Peace is a person. When God gives us peace, he doesn’t sprinkle “magic peace dust” over our heads so we can immediately feel calm. God is peace. Wherever He is, peace is present. Embracing God’s presence is simultaneously embracing God’s peace. God is always with you, which means that peace is always available. However, distractions can cause the heart to drift away from shalom. Distractions and the tendency to hurry have a direct relationship. The more attention you give distractions, the more hurried you will feel in your everyday life. Dallas Willard, a world-renowned Christian philosopher and writer said, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life, for hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our world today.” Daily margin and a weekly sabbath must be protected to ensure quality time spent with God, family, and the body of Christ. Community with God and people tends to be the first area of life that is thrown away in a lifestyle of hurrying. Anxiety builds, tension rises, and the Holy Spirit seems to be an afterthought in a lifestyle of hurry. My prayer is that the body of Christ would model the daily rhythms of Jesus. Jesus, the model of peace entirely controlled by the Holy Spirit, knew exactly the time to work, and the time to be away from God. He understood the intended rhythm of life. Shalom becomes a reality in our lives when we obey the Holy Spirit when he prompts us to rest and be with God.
“The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7
The peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. This biblical promise is one to hold onto. This promise indicates that God’s peace is a strong tool of defense. This promise indicates God will be absorbing the arrows that are shot in our direction. He allows the arrows to fly, but He guards our hearts and minds with peace. His Spirit testifies with us that we are His children. Shalom is a promise. Shalom is a person. Shalom is present. Shalom is strong.
PRAYER:
Father, thank you for your unending nearness. You are closer than my skin. Help me receive your peace as a gift, and break off my mindset of striving. You are the perfect person of peace. I pray that your Spirit would lead me into a daily rhythm of peace, just as your Spirit led Jesus. I want to breathe again. I want to embrace you as the giver of all peace. I love you, God. Amen.
CHALLENGE:
This week, guard off specific blocks of time to spend with your family and your loved ones. Let nothing get in the way of this precious time. God wants you to receive shalom through community.
QUESTIONS:
What aspects of your life cause anxiety?
Would you be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to dictate your personal time?
What day of the week are you willing to commit to peace and rest (Sabbath)?
