4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,    

and give thanks to his holy name.

5 For his anger is but for a moment,  and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. – Psalm 30:4-5 (ESV)

Nothing lasts forever.

In a zero degree freezer, raw steaks last about 6-12 months.  Bacon only one month.  (And, really, bacon deserves better than to be stuck in a chest freezer.)

Stoves should be good for 10-15 years.

Carbon-14 has a half life of 5730 years before it is no longer radioactive.

Senator Strom Thurmond’s 1957 filibuster on the floor of the U.S. Senate – the longest in history – lasted 24 hours and 18 minutes.

Iron Butterfly’s “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida” lasts 17 minutes.

“Back to the Future” ran for about six months at the theatre I worked at during my first attempt at college.  We also showed “Out of Africa” which lasts 161 minutes.  

Without the intermission.

I could have sworn it was a lot longer.

Nothing lasts forever.  Except, of course, God and eternity.  But, on this earth, everything has a shelf life.

That includes the pain of our troubles. 

God is so good to His children.  He poured His unending love and grace upon us.  He gives us peace to face our problems.  He lifts us out, or guides us through, every storm.  Indeed, as Jesus showed us, He is master over life’s storms.  

Tonight, whatever you’re facing, don’t face your troubles alone.  Give them to the Lord.  Trust in His greatness and goodness.  Sleep well. Rest in Him.

And, no matter how things may appear, remember that God has a plan.  He is in control.  And everything is ok.

Nothing lasts forever.  Except the Lord and His goodness, love and mercy.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. – 1 John 4:18a (ESV)

God is love.

God is perfect.

God’s love is therefore perfect – complete, lacking nothing.  He treats we, His children, with amazing benevolence and deep affection.

What is there to possibly fear when the Lord is near?  And, trust me, He is always here.  With us.

With you. 

Ponder that.  Rest in Him.  Be joyful and strong in the Lord.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. – Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV)

Ahhhh… the idea of having a heart at perfect peace.  Unruffled.  Unflappable.  Unmoved by the troubles of this world.  

Sounds nice, huh?

I wish I could say I never worry, never have anxious moments… But I do.  I’m human.

I’ve spent a lot of my life seeking peace until I finally got it through my thick, balding head that peace is neither a state of mind nor the absence of conflict in our lives.  When we seek to find peace through controlling our circumstances, we only end up with more inner turmoil and anxiety.

Notice what Isaiah tells us.  Peace comes when we put our focus on God.  Not ourselves.  Not our troubles or worries.  Just on Him.  Trusting Him fully no matter what.  Understanding that peace comes through trust in theLord, Who is infinitely greater than any giant we may face.

To the degree we stay focused on the Lord, putting our faith and hopes on Him alone, we will find perfect, full, complete peace.  Rest for our weary souls.  Refreshment for our tired spirits. Want more peace? Trust God more.  In fact, anxiety and worry are often pretty good barometers of our walk with God.

This week, if you find yourself struggling, worried, anxious… do this.  Give that worry to the Lord.  Pray.  Talk to Him.  No need for fancy words.  Just ask Him, “Father, help me!”  Pour out your heart.  Then wait on the Lord.

Put your hope in God.

Trust in Him.

Fearlessly. 

Stay focused on the Lord, through prayer and His Word.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication t with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, v which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)