Let the Peace of Christ Rule in Your Hearts by Catherine Weiskopf
Isn’t it impossible with everything that’s happened this month and everything that needs to get done… Isn’t it impossible to let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts? (Colossians 3:15)
I think of all that has happened this month and fear, uneasiness and anger well up inside; the shootings in San Bernardino, a Los Angeles school closing down because of terrorist threats, the killing of innocent people—what a mess. Our once safe country doesn’t feel safe to me. My heart begins to beat faster with upset and then I remember God’s instructions. I let go and remind myself of God’s care and focus on love and what I am grateful for.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . .
Often my mind jumps to Christmas: the ten family members who will be at my house. When I awake at 3:00 a.m. it isn’t visions of sugar plums dancing in my head, it is my to-do list swirling and twirling.
The cooking.
The cleaning.
The present buying.
I feel the urge to get up and begin working, but instead I take a deep breath and remind myself whatever doesn’t get done is ok. The season isn’t about having the house perfectly decorated. It isn’t about buying exceptional thoughtful presents, the season is about celebrating the birth of Jesus and spending time with loved ones.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . .
My afternoons are often like an Uber driver. I take my brother-in-law Alex to his Doctor’s appointment, run to the grocery store, pick up my daughter and the phone rings. Alex is ready to come home. Supper hasn’t been started. What will we eat? My crabbiness begins to build and then I see the pretty lights lining my street as I drive home and remember the real reason for the season.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . .
Each time my heart zooms off in another emotional direction I have a choice. My wise counselor-friend Sally once told me, “Don’t give it a second thought.” The idea is we really can’t control what pops into our heads and hearts, but we can control what we latch onto. We can control what emotions we let set up long-term residence in our hearts and heads. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” acknowledges other emotions like anger, fear, upset, discouragement and sadness that do sometimes get our attention, but it instructs us to not let them rule. They can come for a visit but they shouldn’t be allowed to be in control of our personality.
There are times admittedly when I’ve let fear rein. With fear in control I felt sure I would get some control over circumstances. That turned out to be a lie. There were other times I’ve invited anger in and let it take over my heart; it actually felt quite powerful blaming everyone else for my problems, but in the end that feeling also didn’t deliver the power it promised. There are even other times I’ve let sadness take over for a while. It also didn’t deliver the attention it promised.
When an emotion rules, everything seems colored by them. When I am mad at someone or some situation I get mad at more situations. Everything seems to annoy me. When I am in fearful mode, everywhere I look there is something to be afraid of. Emotions do rule and that is why Paul in his letter to the Colossians gives us wise advice to cling to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . .” (Colossians 3:15)
When the peace of Christ rules in our hearts, even the crazy events of this last month, even the business of getting ready for Christmas, even racing here are there in our daily lives can be seen through the lens of Christ’s peace that surpasses all understanding!
Catherine Weiskopf is an author and creative director of Pearls of Promise ministries. Her newest book is Faith Marker Journey available at amazon.com. Find out more at www.cweiskopf.com.