Peace

The past week I’ve been obsessing over an issue in my life that is totally out of my control. It has consumed my every waking thought. I was given the advice to just be patient and give it to God. Sound advice, but strangely difficult.

Have you ever been there? In that place where you can’t get out of your own head? It has been hard for me to even focus on God, let alone read His word, but I decided that this was the only way I could stop obsessing and instead think about eternal things.

There is a form of meditative reading called Lectio Divina in which one reads the text and chooses a sentence, and then a single word, that stands out. I decided to try this with the first chapter of Galatians, Paul’s letter to the church there. Immediately, verse three struck a chord and the word “peace” stuck out to me like a sore thumb. I couldn’t ignore it. Peace is what I need.

So I prayed for peace, and I pray that word every time my mind wanders back to to my circumstances. It has allowed me to get out of my own head and pray for others as well.

If you’re stuck in your worry, anxiety, or obsession, try looking up Lectio Divina and studying Scripture in a way that maybe you never have before. You might just find exactly what you’re looking for.

❤ Ashley