“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you today? Before I talk about Isaiah 26:3 specifically, I want to discuss some concepts that go with the verse. Let’s first think about having a “one-tracked” mind. Have you ever had a one-tracked mind? You know the sort, when you are hyper focused on something and right or wrong, once you have it in your head to do something a specific way, nothing can stand in your way. I have experienced that before in myself and in others. I know that when I am focused on something that strongly, I can forget all that is around me. I could forget that I have water boiling on the stove or forget that my husband is in the room and not hear him ask me a question. Our brains are “funny” in that way. Think about the “placebo effect”. If people believe enough, often sugar pills can help as much as the “real” medicine or cure for something. The mind is focused on the fact that it will work. It believes. It trusts that it will work. Another thing to think about is the “power of thought”, especially the “power of positive thinking”. If we think positively, often times positive things happen. If we think negatively, often times negative things happen. I find it interesting that we bring up these principles to encourage each other when we are down. We often believe these sentiments as true and good. We think we are doing good to encourage others with these things. And, many times, we do feel a certain amount of encouragement. They do seem to help us many times when we are down. Yet, these are worldly sentiment. None of it gives credit to God. None of it gives us what God can give us. Now, let’s look at Isaiah 26:3 and ponder it a while. The first part of Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) reads, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace”. When do we need peace or think about needing peace? It is when we are troubled, anxious, frustrated, confused, angry, depressed, or scared that we need to be reassured that God can give us peace. We also need peace when we are sinful and do the wrong things. We may feel sorry, ashamed, or self-conscious. We need the peace of knowing that we are forgiven, wiped clean, and back on the right path. We need to know we are not in conflict with each other, with ourselves, or with God. This is the type of peace that God can offer. It is a peace in our heart, not just in our mind, that He loves us and will keep us safe. (It might not be a worldly safe at times, but it is a heavenly safe. It will be in His arms and not lost or out of His sight.) God’s peace is more than just a lack of fighting and turmoil. It is a heavenly peace that touches more than our mind and heart. It touches us deeply within in our spirit. It seems to me that when we fear something, it is the not knowing or worry that we really fear. Often, I fear trying new things. It isn’t really the fear of trying new things that really bother me, it is more that I fear making mistakes, wasting materials, or getting into trouble. I fear flying. It isn’t really that I fear flying, but more that I fear crashing and dying. I fear dying, but it isn’t so much that I fear dying. It is more that I fear not knowing what it will be like or being afraid that I won’t be with God in heaven. (These fears come and go depending on how I am feeling. My mind knows that I have nothing to fear, because I believe in God and love Him. My heart isn’t always as calm as my mind. My spirit isn’t always at peace.) See how our fear can seem to be one thing but really another? God can help us. He can give us a peace, but not just any peace, a heavenly and perfect peace. The middle part of Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) reads, “…whose mind is stayed on thee…”. That is the person who will get the perfect peace from the first part of the peace, the person whose mind is focused on God. That is why it is good to have some Bible verses committed to memory, so we can remember the inspirational and helpful words God gave us. It is the reason why we should be in the habit of praying about every little thing, so when we are upset it will almost be second nature to pray about it and to ask God for help. Let’s go back to what I was saying earlier about being super focused on something. When we are super focused on someone or something, we get tuned in to just that person or thing. We tune out and sometimes even forget other things and people around us. The more we focus on God, His Word, and His love for us, the more at peace we begin to feel. The more we do this, the more we yearn for a relationship with Him, and the more we grow to feel and understand these things more deeply. As we do that, the stronger and more real our peace becomes. So, when we are down or afraid or have any number of negative emotions, we have two choices. We can focus on the fear and negative emotions or we can focus on God. Which would you rather do? Now, it might sound simple to just say, “Focus on God.” Well, it is not always that simple. It can be one of the more difficult things to do amongst some strong emotions and tumultuous situations. However, the more we do it, the more God will change our hearts, and the easier it will become. The last part of Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) says, “…because he trusteth in thee”. If we didn’t believe in God, if we didn’t trust God’s love and faithfulness, we wouldn’t put in the time or the effort to get to know Him or to focus on Him. We didn’t believe that He could give us perfect peace. We wouldn’t love Him and yearn to be close to Him. May God give you and may you accept His heavenly peace, my friends. Heavenly Father, Thank you for being our Heavenly Father and for wanting the best for us. Thank you for giving us your protection, comfort, guidance, and love. Help us to focus only on you. Help us to remember your words and promise of peace, especially in times of fear and tribulation. Help us to feel and accept your heavenly peace that you want to give us. I ask you this through Jesus, your Son. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Isaiah 26:3 (KJV): *What does Isaiah 26:3 mean to me? *What does “perfect peace” mean to me? *How is God’s peace different from worldly peace? *Have someone I know or I ever been super focused? What has it felt like? *Do I trust God? *What can I do to better heed the words in Isaiah 26:3? *What other verses remind me of the message in Isaiah 26:3? *What is God telling me right now through Isaiah 26:3? Note: If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy the following posts on similar topics. *Fear *Peace/Peacemakers Now, it is your turn: Thank you for being here. I appreciate your kindness and support. I pray you are enjoying and finding value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. 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“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) Hi friends, How are you today? How are you feeling? Are you happy in life? Do you have a positive outlook or a negative one? When stress hits, do you handle it well or do you let it handle you? It is good to self-reflect on such things once in a while. It is even better to pray and to ask God how you are doing in such areas. Now, that we have acknowledged our feelings and reflected on our outlook, let’s delve into God’s Word. The first part of Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine”. This verse is wonderful encouragement to have a positive outlook instead of a negative one. When you are happy overall, when you trust God and fear nothing but Him, and when you are able to find joy even though others cannot, you go a long way in staying healthy, not only emotionally, but spiritually and physically as well. Let’s look at the phrase, “like a medicine” for a moment. Medicine can sometimes be a controversial topic. Some believe that medicine, or at least man-made medicine does more harm than good. Others take medicine as needed and believe it is what is needed to help, if not cure their ailment and condition. However, we look at it, we know from the context that the author meant “medicine” to be a good thing just as a “merry heart” is a good thing and causes good things to happen. The second part of Proverbs 17:22 says, “but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” We have all probably felt down or depressed at one time or another. As people who have chronic depression can testify, being depressed can be debilitating not only emotionally, but also physically and spiritually as well. Even feeling down or depressed for a short time, we can sometimes notice how it changes our physical and spiritual health in a negative way too. I know there have been times when I have felt down or depressed and I felt old. I felt slow, unstable, unsure of myself, and hesitant. My posture was kind of hunched over and my body ached. I just felt bad overall. Have you ever felt like that? I hope you haven’t, but if you have, you know the feeling I mean. So, if we are down or depressed, how can we have the “merry heart” instead of the “broken spirit”? We can try things like listening to music, talking with a friend, smiling or laughing (even for no reason), taking up a hobby that we might enjoy, Christian fellowship, going to church, or any number of things. However, there is only one true way. Here are some verses that can help: “Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and [that it may be] well with you, and [that] ye may prolong [your] days in the land which ye shall possess.” Deuteronomy 5:33 (KJV) “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 (KJV) “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:20 (KJV) “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10 (KJV) “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24 (KJV) “And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Luke 18:27 (KJV) So, if we are down or depressed, if we can only remember Proverbs 17:22 and other verses that encourage us to find joy in the Lord. It will be better for us not only emotionally, but also physically and spiritually as well. Before we think, “Oh, it is not my fault I am depressed. I can’t just be happy”, we have to remember that only part of that is partially true. The cause of our depression may not be something we did or created. And, while we may not be able to “just be happy”, all things are possible with God. We can’t do anything alone and that is good to remember. However, we need to pray and call on God for help. He can help us find the joy we need. We need to remember that as well. Heavenly Father, Thank you for being our Father in heaven. Thank you for loving in a way that we couldn’t even imagine. We know that you are a loving God, a Father of all Fathers, and we know that you only want what is best for us. If we are down and depressed, either for a short time or chronically, help us to remember your infinite love and to call on you to bring us out of our depression. Help us to find joy in You, Lord. Help us to remember your Word, in Proverbs 17:22 in times us despair. Be our strength and hold on for us, when we don’t know how ourselves. Touch our mind, our heart, and our spirit, so that we can see and appreciate your work in our life. Help us to reach up to you, even when we don’t think we have the strength to reach anywhere at all. Help us to find the hope and joy you want us to find. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflective questions for Proverbs 17:22 (KJV): *What does Proverbs 17:22 mean to me? *Am I happy in life? *Do I have a positive or negative outlook on life? *Do I handle stress well or do I let stress handle me? *What can I do to live according to the words in Proverbs 17:22 better? *When I am down, do I pray and ask God to help me through it? *What can I do to remember to rely on God instead of letting things get me down? *What can I do better in order to have a “merry heart”? Now, it is your turn. I am so thankful that you are here. I pray that you are blessed by the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations. And, if you are depressed or down, I pray that this particular post touches you in a special way and I pray that you reach out to God for help, strength, and joy. He can help. Whether He helps supernaturally or gives you help through a verse, a thought, a song, a friend, or whatever, He can help. And, most of all, He WANTS to help. He loves you greatly! Please, feel free to comment below or contact me. Feel free to share your story, leave a prayer for those who may be suffering from depression or hardship, or just to let me know your thoughts on Proverbs 17:22. If you find value in the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with friends and family, so that they can as well. Also, if you haven't done so already, please consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox. 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“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV) Hi Friends, How are you today? I hope you are all well. Last week, I wrote about encouraging one another by role modeling love, kindness, and good works. (You can read that post here.) This week’s post, also talks about encouraging each other, however it is for a little bit different reason. The words in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 also call us to encourage one another. Yet, I think, this is encouragement is meant to keep each other on the right path and to lift our spirits when we are down. In this verse, St. Paul was kind of telling the Thessalonians that he knew they were encouraging each other and they should keep up the good work. You may also be one to encourage others and if that is so, great job! Keep up the good work! Yet, even if we already do encourage others, I think it these words are good to read and think about at times. We all need encouragement at times. And, sometimes we try to encourage others with the greatest of intentions, but we don’t encourage well. Yes, I think there are pitfalls in the intention of encouragement. Let’s look at how we encourage or what we encourage. For example, when someone says, “You do what feels good to you. Don’t worry about what anyone else says.” Is this good encouragement? I would humbly submit that when the Bible usually encourages us NOT to go with our own feelings, are we being helpful in encouraging each other to go with our own feelings? Am I being too nitpicky? Or, should that be rephrased to better suit God’s words and meaning in the Bible? There was a time when I wouldn’t even have thought about it. Yet, I believe that words are powerful and shape what we think and how we feel. And, there is a difference between generally saying, “do what feels good to you” and in saying, “do what you feel God is calling you to do.” This may seem trifle and petty, but I do think that these subtleties in what we say have resulted in a society that feels entitled. These subtleties have changed our beliefs, and us slowly, over time. I don’t believe we are truly helping or encouraging others, if we “encourage” them to do something that isn’t in accordance with God’s Word. It also may be unhealthy to promise someone the world, when you have no business making the promise or have no idea whether or not it will come true. I can remember being estranged from someone and well-meaning people would say that this person would come back to me. I was upset by those words, because the people who said them had no way of telling whether the person would come back to me or not. My heart knew that they were just hopeful words, but nothing concrete. I wanted something concrete that I could hold onto. It meant more to me to have someone comfort me with truth, than hopes. I don’t say all this to discourage you from encouraging others. I don’t want you to think that, “Oh, I better not say anything, because I might say something wrong.” I say this just for thoughtful reflection. Encouraging others is what we are called to do. So, let us pray that we all take the opportunity to encourage others and do it in a godly and Biblical way. Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for knowing that we need to be encouraged. Thank you for your instruction. Help us to take the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 to heart. Help us to encourage one another in faith, hope, and love, especially in trying times. Yet, help us to do so with words that align with your holy words out of love and compassion and obedience to you. Help us to be mindful in our words and the message we are actually sending each other. Let our encouragement be something that glorifies you and shows us to be your people. I ask you this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reflection questions for 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV): *What does 1 Thessalonians 5:11 mean to me? *Do I encourage others? *If I encourage others, do I do so with words that align with God’s words? *Can well meaning encouragement be wrong if the words aren’t right? *What can I do to better fulfill the calling in 1 Thessalonians 5:11?
Now, it is your turn.
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Hi friends!
This is Jodi. I am so glad you are here! I am a Christian and life-long learner. I enjoy sharing and encouraging others. I pray you are blessed by this blog. Thank you for being here. Archives
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