Peaceful thoughts in quietness and trust

Self-control is required for peace.

I am reminded this week about the connection between peace and self-control, especially with regards to my thoughts. As an introvert, and highly sensitive person, this has always been an area of struggle. I am always in my thoughts, ruminating, and over-thinking.

There are both strengths and weaknesses to being this “wonderfully and fearfully made” way. For one, it leads to great insights from the Lord! But, it also, eventually, leads to overwhelm and mental overload and, in difficult times, presents as constant negative thoughts.

Knowing that I am this way and have this tendency is helpful to know. However, I am careful to not be conformed by labels, but by God’s truth, when it comes to my identity.

I am first and foremost a child of God.

I belong to a God Who is faithful to reveal truth and provide help. So, today, I’m also seeing the connection to righteousness. Only in Christ, friends. He tells us to come and receive all these blessings that He alone can give – strength, peace, rest, etc. He quiets us by His love and enables us to trust in Him.

I was raised to be independent so my instinct is to try to fix this myself. To find ways to gain control over my thoughts. To improve my circumstances so that my thoughts also improve. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve, fix, and bring restoration to what isn’t “good”. Turning to praise and gratitude is always recommendable. Journaling my thoughts to get them out of my brain and process them is a helpful practice. Talking with someone and praying to God are beneficial. However, the lesson for me in this season is that I simply cannot save myself.

What a God! Always leading to stillness and surrender. Always offering rest. I look forward to a time when this is no longer a struggle but, today, I cry out.

Lord, fix my thoughts on You!

Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭2‬-‭4‬

And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭32‬:‭17-‭18‬

Process and products used:

These pages in the 100 Days of Bible Promises by Shanna Noel features the following products by Creative Worship Stamps. These are affiliate links, please see the Privacy Policy for details.

• Hummingbird Wishes Stamp Set
• Hummingbird Wishes Die Set
• Peace Joy Love stencil
• Texture Tiles 13 Stamp Set
• Vintage Ledger Page stamp
• Skinny Caps Alpha stamp set

I took colour inspiration from the decor that was already on the page – yellow, blue-grey – and highlighted some of the text using markers.

I stamped the flowers and hummingbirds from the Hummingbird Wishes set onto mixed media paper and used the coordinating dies to cut them out. Then, I coloured them using watercolour paint. I also stamped some hummingbirds in grey ink in a few places on the pages.

Then, I added some words in grey ink using the Peace Joy Love Stencil. And, I added some graphic texture in black ink using a stamp from the Texture Tiles 13 set.

I stamped the title using the Skinny Caps Alpha. And then, I created a journaling spot using the Vintage Ledger Page stamp.

Be encouraged

🎶 Held ~ Hillside Recording, Megan Tibbits

I am so thankful for the perfect peace He provides! It is such a gift – one that I don’t think I would have appreciated had I not experienced the lack of peace that accompany intrusive, turbulent, and negative thoughts. He is a God who gives and continually proves His love in giving.

What then are we to say about the troubles we experience that reveal these truths? His ways are not like ours but our God proves time and time again that He is infinitely good. Lord, have Your way!