Practical Peace - Four Days and Four Ways to Live a Life of PeaceSample

Peace Is Following the Shepherd 

Close your eyes and imagine these two scenes. The first scene is a beautiful green pasture. The second scene is a dangerous dark valley. Which scene did you feel more peaceful in?

Most likely you felt peaceful in the green pasture, right?

These two contrasting scenes are described in Psalm 23. And the reality of our world is that it looks more like a dark valley and not like green pastures. So how do we find peace in this dark valley called planet Earth? The key is the first verse of Psalm 23:

Psalm 23:1 NIV

The Lord is my shepherd…

The questions your soul is asking you every day of your life are: "Who is my shepherd? Whom should I follow?" 

There are many shepherds to follow today. Feelings, emotions, mood, fear, desire, to name a few. And whatever or whoever your shepherd is will determine the peace you're going to have. Peace depends on whoever and whatever you follow! 

So whoever and whatever you start your day with will determine your peace.

Practice:

Choose your shepherd! When you wake up every morning, be intentional about the shepherd you're going to follow throughout the day. If Jesus is the shepherd you choose to follow, then you will have peace. Why? Because Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I choose you as my shepherd today. I choose to follow you and not my feelings, my fears, my worries, or my desires. And as I follow you, I walk in perfect peace throughout the day. I pray this in your name, Jesus. Amen.