The Missing Piece

Dear Friends,

Do you ever have times when you feel like something is missing from your life? Maybe it’s better health or wealth, or something or someone you think will make you feel complete —a missing piece that stands between you and a heart at peace.

Speaking in John 14:27a (NIV), Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” Jesus was telling his disciples he was offering a blessing that went far beyond anything the world could offer.

How do we make the peace Jesus offers an essential piece in this puzzle we call life? Try as we might, there are times when it’s hard to follow the Apostle Paul’s advice as paraphrased in the message Bible:

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” Philippians 4:6-7

Life happens, and when our petitions and praises don’t yield the outcome we desire, the last thing we want to hear is someone quoting Romans 8:28 (NIV): “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^] have been called according to his purpose.”

How can we offer comfort to someone who feels the peace Jesus offers is somehow slipping away? What can we say when their world is in pieces?

In Second Corinthians 1:3-4 we read, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Sometimes the best way to offer comfort is to just listen. If we must speak, we can speak to God and let others listen in, as we offer our prayers for them. We may not be able to supply the piece missing from their life, but with God’s help we can share the peace we have known in the Lord.

“The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of the pain, thanking God during the trials, trusting Him when we are tempted to lose hope, and loving Him when he seems so distant and far away. At my lowest, God is my hope. At my darkest, God is my light. At my weakest, God is my strength. At my saddest, God is my comforter.” — Author unknown

Verse for the Week: Ephesians 3:16-17 (NLT)
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”

Blessings,
Your Friends in Chris