Choose Peace

Lately I've been experiencing a whole lot of fear. I'm not talking just anxiety but this sense of overwhelming dread. Today God reminded me of Romans 8:15 - "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father.'". And later I remembered 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self- discipline". The point is we have to actively CHOOSE the peace that lives inside of us. But some of us, like me, are so used to living in fear and anxiety that though we may enjoy peace, when we get tempted with situations that make us nervous or afraid we remember how it felt and we miss it so we start catastrophizing and giving in to fear or creating situations to make us afraid. 

Jesus thank You for the promise of abundant life and joy and peace. Help us to choose that peace that You have placed in us and not give in to the spirit that leads us back into slavery to fear. Thank You in Jesus' name. Amen.