Life: A Piece Of Cake?

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isaiah 26:3

Sometimes my thoughts are fixed on chocolate when circumstances are particularly stressful. I crave the comfort of a big ole piece of chocolate cake with lots of icing. If my nerves are exceptionally frazzled, I can become convinced that such a sweet fix would bring peace to my troubled spirit. But sad to say, peace of mind does not come from a piece of chocolate cake or anything chocolate.

Peace is hard to define, but I certainly recognize when I don’t have it! Matter of fact, I’m not feeling it right now because I just disagreed with my husband over a terribly important matter . . . where to put the computer in our home! My tendency is to blame him for my quick words, but the reality is that I rebel when I don’t get my own way. My perfect peace is disrupted because my thoughts are not fixed on God.

I can feel the Holy Spirit working on me as James 4:1-2 comes to mind: “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it.”

Conviction sets in, and as I begin to let go of my stubborn will, I feel something budding in my heart, a tiny seed growing bigger . . . It’s the beginnings of peace, and it leads me to talk things over with God.

“Lord, I confess, sometimes I would rather sit down and eat a big piece of chocolate cake than acknowledge my sin and be restored to the peace that only You can bring. But I am always uncomfortable with this ineffective ‘quick fix.’ God, You are the answer. You are Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and I, like Paul, am the worst of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). I was wrong, Lord, and I need You to restore my peace. Thank You that You will keep me in perfect peace when my mind is fixed on You.”

Next time that chocolate craving hits, or anything distracts you from the Source of real peace, remember that your peace comes from the Lord, and only He can give it to you.