Day 7 The Exchange: 21 Days of Spiritual Swaps

Today began with a microwave incident.

The thing is; I love hot chocolate. But we don’t have a special machine to turn milk into chocolatey froth. So, instead, I put 4 heaps of hot chocolate power into some milk and put it in the microwave, for at least a minute longer than required!

As you can imagine, my microwave was covered in sticky, burnt milk…

I was cross.

Following that incident, it rained. So my plans to walk into town with my daughter were ruined. She barely made it five minutes in the pram before complaining about her situation!

Now, I feel anxious.

Years ago, somebody clever told me that anxiety was the result of a blocked goal.

If I am honest, reaching 30 published blog posts has been a goal of mine for over a year (a goal I was supposed to reach on 13^th May 2020…)

As I finally reach that goal and write my 30^th published post, I feel a little bit defeated.

I know I need to swap this anxiety I feel for Jesus’ peace.

When I think of peace, I think of quiet. Not a quiet room; but a quiet mind. Not an empty mind; just one that is free from all of those loud pressures such as worry, dread and lies.

Jesus said:

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.

He gives peace; He is our peace.

I don’t know about you, but I am much better at giving than receiving. I find it hard to receive peace, because it isn’t something that I can go out and buy or achieve.

Receiving Jesus’ peace requires me to un-do rather than to do.

You see, I think Jesus is standing right next to each of us, giving us peace. The bible actually calls Jesus the “prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:6, NIV.)

When I am feeling anxious; He stands next to me, carrying the very presence of peace.

But in order for me to receive that peace, I need to unravel all that caused me to feel anxious in the first place. Not only to I need to unravel it I need to get rid of it, discard it for good.

Unravelling is hard. It looks like singing worship songs, until you finally believe the lyrics.

It looks like writing out one bible verse, over and over again.

It looks like going for a walk and thanking God for the sky, the trees, the flowers, the rain…

It looks like writing down all of your blocked goals on a piece of paper and then throwing that piece of paper away, as a sign of the fact they are gone for good.

This morning, I read about the conversion of Saul in Acts 9. Saul was a guy that persecuted Christians, before meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. The story reveals that Saul loses his eyesight, after his first encounter with Jesus. He cannot see for three days. Then God sends a man named Ananias to pray for Saul, healing his sight. It reads:

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Acts 9: 18-19, NIV

I feel like I have scales on my eyes today, I can’t see Jesus I can only see these blocked goals and frustrations that have gradually covered my eyes.

If you feel the same, I want to pray with you right now:

Jesus,

I’ve been frustrated by so many blocked goals today, but I choose to let go of them and I surrender everything to you. In your name I pray these scales would fall off my eyes so that I can see you, Prince of Peace. I want to see you standing next to me, here and now. How you are giving me peace in this moment Jesus? Show me.

Thank you for your presence.

Action Points:

• Pray the prayer above. Note down anything that comes to mind immediately after you have prayed. I find Jesus shows me His peace in a new way each time. Sometimes I see a picture in my mind, sometimes I am reminded of a bible verse, or a song. I pray wherever Jesus leads you, go and dwell in His peace for as long as time allows.