Thoughts
that have come from various quotes taken from the book, "Victor - Breaking
Free From a Victim Based Society" by John H. Hovis. Click here to link directly to
the audio file.
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"There is great peace that comes with being a victor. The world is missing that peace and is hungry for it."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 47.
The world really is hungry for peace. I know it doesn't look that way and I know that lasting peace is probably just a pie in the sky kind of dream. Deep down inside we long for, search for, and do all that we can to let peace be a part of our lives.
Today's bible reading sheds an import light on the issue of peace.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 (NIV)
A friend of mine, who was going through some really challenging times, came to me one day with this verse. He said something that has totally changed my perspective on what peace is all about in my life. I don't know if you're like me, but I've always been focused on the first sentence in this verse. God promises to give us peace and I really want that peace in my life, don't you?
What really changed my thinking was the second sentence in this verse. Jesus says, " I do not give to you as the world gives." At first glance, this seems to be a pretty innocuous statement. But if you really dig into what is being said your perspective on what peace is has to change.
You see, if you believe that peace can only be defined on your own terms this verse is going to ultimately be huge disappointing lie in your life. How can I say that? Think about what peace means to you right now. Has there ever been a time in your life when that peace was not there? Did you ask God to give you that peace? How did He respond? If you're like the vast majority of us the kind of peace we look for in our lives isn't always given to us by God. So, if my peace, the peace I define as what is needed to quiet the fear in my soul, isn't always given by God than maybe me definition of peace differs from the peace that Jesus is talking about in the verse about.
That's what my friend showed that particular day when we discussed peace in light of this verse. Jesus' peace is not the same as the peace we expect in this world. And least it's not the same all the time! The verse very clear. Jesus gives us peace but that peace is not always the same as what the world offers. Failing to grasp this perspective on peace is a sure fire way to usher victim thinking into your life.
Victim thinking can happen as we experience any kind of failure over and over again. I can't think of any bigger failure than to expect something from God, be told that he wants to give that thing to me, ask for it, then fail to see it happen in my life. Having the wrong perspective on what we are told we will receive from God sets us up for failure, and therefore, victim thinking.
This friend, who showed me this perspective on peace, was a perfect example of the process for a victim thinking described above. At the time we were meeting he was in a position where it looked as though his business wasn't going to make it. Don't you know this friend was experiencing a profound lack of peace in his life with the prospect of a failing business. Very little would have brought him a greater sense of peace in his life than to have his business be able to prosper. He had been praying, maybe it would be more accurate to say, begging God for that peace! Ultimately my friend's business failed. The longer he saw the failure of the outcome that defined peace to materialize the more depressed he became due to the victim thinking burdens he was carrying. On this particular day he and I met, this verse helped to clear the fog that surrounds victim thinking and my friend was able to press on with what he had to do as a victor. In that place my friend found a peace that definitely was not of this world. Jesus gave peace, however, it was a peace that was completely different than what my friend thought he needed.
Today's verse opened my friend's eyes to the fact that God was bringing peace in his life in a totally different way. Sure my friend wanted the peace that would come with a successful business but his victor status in God's eyes made him realize God's peace, whatever that may look like is better for him in the long run.
What is it in your life that you believe would bring you peace today? Are you asking God for that peace? Are you seeing that peace happening right now? Try viewing the word peace in a different way. Ask for and expect to receive the peace that Jesus promises in our reading today. It may not be exactly what you want, but it will be exactly what you need!
**********
"There is great peace that comes with being a victor. The world is missing that peace and is hungry for it."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 47.
The world really is hungry for peace. I know it doesn't look that way and I know that lasting peace is probably just a pie in the sky kind of dream. Deep down inside we long for, search for, and do all that we can to let peace be a part of our lives.
Today's bible reading sheds an import light on the issue of peace.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 (NIV)
A friend of mine, who was going through some really challenging times, came to me one day with this verse. He said something that has totally changed my perspective on what peace is all about in my life. I don't know if you're like me, but I've always been focused on the first sentence in this verse. God promises to give us peace and I really want that peace in my life, don't you?
What really changed my thinking was the second sentence in this verse. Jesus says, " I do not give to you as the world gives." At first glance, this seems to be a pretty innocuous statement. But if you really dig into what is being said your perspective on what peace is has to change.
You see, if you believe that peace can only be defined on your own terms this verse is going to ultimately be huge disappointing lie in your life. How can I say that? Think about what peace means to you right now. Has there ever been a time in your life when that peace was not there? Did you ask God to give you that peace? How did He respond? If you're like the vast majority of us the kind of peace we look for in our lives isn't always given to us by God. So, if my peace, the peace I define as what is needed to quiet the fear in my soul, isn't always given by God than maybe me definition of peace differs from the peace that Jesus is talking about in the verse about.
That's what my friend showed that particular day when we discussed peace in light of this verse. Jesus' peace is not the same as the peace we expect in this world. And least it's not the same all the time! The verse very clear. Jesus gives us peace but that peace is not always the same as what the world offers. Failing to grasp this perspective on peace is a sure fire way to usher victim thinking into your life.
Victim thinking can happen as we experience any kind of failure over and over again. I can't think of any bigger failure than to expect something from God, be told that he wants to give that thing to me, ask for it, then fail to see it happen in my life. Having the wrong perspective on what we are told we will receive from God sets us up for failure, and therefore, victim thinking.
This friend, who showed me this perspective on peace, was a perfect example of the process for a victim thinking described above. At the time we were meeting he was in a position where it looked as though his business wasn't going to make it. Don't you know this friend was experiencing a profound lack of peace in his life with the prospect of a failing business. Very little would have brought him a greater sense of peace in his life than to have his business be able to prosper. He had been praying, maybe it would be more accurate to say, begging God for that peace! Ultimately my friend's business failed. The longer he saw the failure of the outcome that defined peace to materialize the more depressed he became due to the victim thinking burdens he was carrying. On this particular day he and I met, this verse helped to clear the fog that surrounds victim thinking and my friend was able to press on with what he had to do as a victor. In that place my friend found a peace that definitely was not of this world. Jesus gave peace, however, it was a peace that was completely different than what my friend thought he needed.
Today's verse opened my friend's eyes to the fact that God was bringing peace in his life in a totally different way. Sure my friend wanted the peace that would come with a successful business but his victor status in God's eyes made him realize God's peace, whatever that may look like is better for him in the long run.
What is it in your life that you believe would bring you peace today? Are you asking God for that peace? Are you seeing that peace happening right now? Try viewing the word peace in a different way. Ask for and expect to receive the peace that Jesus promises in our reading today. It may not be exactly what you want, but it will be exactly what you need!
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