“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these, He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:2-4 (NIV)

 Steeping in Your Presence

I recently had a surprise visitor let me know they were going to stop by on their way through town. This family member and I have a very difficult and long history, so this unexpected visit brought up multiple triggers of pain and confusion. I felt the panic creep in and said a quick, desperate prayer to get me through the visit. As she arrived, every emotion surfaced, and I was discouraged that I was so undone with this visit. We have been practicing peace and joy lately…but there was no peace or joy happening here. I was fixated on how I felt and all the pain our family has been through because of this person’s actions. My usual is to push through, but this time I had difficulty concentrating, a tight chest, and the urge to grab my kids and run for the hills. In utter exhaustion, I excused myself and ran to Jesus. The Spirit brought to mind 2 Peter, which we had just studied in our Her Ministry Bible Study, Practice Makes Progress, the week before.

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance…THROUGH the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.”

 “His divine power has given us everything we need to live a godly life…He has given us great and precious promises.”

 At first, I read these words quickly and with an angst as they felt so distant. But in His love and grace, the Spirit prompted me to slow down and steep. I set down the angst and soaked in the knowledge of who God is…safety, peace, unconditional love, and promise keeper. Faithful to His Word, peace flowed abundantly. I chose to believe this peace was accessible to me simply because of who He is and because He promises it.

The circumstances of the day did not change. The visit was still quite a bit to manage. However, the peace of God was hovering over me as I moved forward in His strength and not my own understanding. I fixed my eyes on who He is and above my pain. As I took a step forward boldly and confidently in His promise, He revealed the purpose of the visit—a very intentional time of prayer and healing for both myself and my visitor. God had planned healing for both of our hearts this visit.

Jesus, thank You for revealing Yourself to us. Today, we choose to steep in your Word and enter into who You are! Thank You that You are faithful to fulfill Your promises and fill us with Your truth, grace, and peace. You are our safety, relief, and perfect peace. May You be glorified. In Your perfect name, Amen!