You Need To Pause for Authentic Stillness and Peace

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I’m not a fan of cold weather, but one thing I love about a cold winter night is the stillness and peace.

It’s hard to find a moment of either at this time of year. Between shopping, wrapping, cooking, church and school activities, holiday get-togethers, and random unexpected appointments … oh my, stillness and peace feel more like a dream than reality.

I’ve been thinking about the night Jesus was born and believe Mary and Joseph were far from experiencing the stillness or peace we imagine. Just think about having a baby alone in unfamiliar unpleasant surroundings … it had to be stressful.

But then, a healthy baby was born to a mother doing well. You can almost feel the stillness and peace that filled the space.

Outside of Bethlehem, shepherds were enjoying a quiet night … the only sound being the occasional bleating of a restless lamb.

When suddenly…

 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Luke 2:13–14

The stillness and peace were replaced with worship and praise.

That’s what I want for my Christmas. I want stress replaced with stillness and peace, and stillness and peace filled with worship and praise.

Let’s pray…

Prayers to Pause for Stillness and Peace
and a Heart Filled with Worship and Praise

The Lord gives His people strength.
    The Lord blesses them with peace.

Psalm 29:11

Father, thank you. You are the One who gives me strength in the moment. I can’t imagine the strength that Mary and Joseph needed on the night the Savior was born. You gave Mary the strength needed to experience labor and delivery in a most unusual setting. And You enabled Joseph to remain strong and do his best for his family.

By Your grace, having strength in the moment leads to the blessing of peace. When I trust that You will give me all that I need confident that Your grace and power work best when I surrender to You and admit my weakness … I have peace.

I worship and praise You for caring for Your children, knowing our needs, and providing it all in love. Amen.

 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

John 14:27

Lord, forgive us. We foolishly believe if we have everything we want in this world or everything the world tells us we should want, we will experience peace. But that’s a lie from the enemy.

You told us that this world cannot give us peace. But You can and will. So, I lay my worries and fears at Your feet confident that You will provide the peace of heart and mind I need.

May Your peace rule in my heart so to help me trust and obey Your will whatever my circumstances. Amen.

[Jesus] was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with God.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Romans 4:25–5:1

Father, You gave Your Son, so that peace might be restored between You and people. We sinned and betrayed Your love and You displayed the extraordinary depth of Your love by having Jesus suffer our punishment.

You alone are worthy of all our worship and praise. We are unworthy. I am unworthy. By Your grace, I ask You to give me stillness and peace of heart and mind. And by the power of your Spirit, fill my peaceful heart with worship and praise. Amen.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on His shoulders.
And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, 
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice
from the throne of His ancestor David for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord
of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

Isaiah 9:6–7

Father, generations before the “child” … Your Son was born, You inspired Isaiah to write these words. You promised to send a Savior in the Garden and repeated the promise from generation to generation until He arrived.

You promised He would be One with the Spirit Counselor and with You, our Heaven Father. You promised that He would bring peace to a sin-filled world. You promised that He would demonstrate Your justice and show us Your love.

Because You kept every promise about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we can trust every promise You made about His return. So, when life’s chaos robs me of my peace, please help me to “be still and know” that You are faithful. I can live with peace today because You give me hope for the future. Amen.

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;
I will sing Your praises before the gods.
I bow before Your holy Temple as I worship.
I praise Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for Your promises are backed
by all the honor of Your name.
As soon as I pray, You answer me;
You encourage me by giving me strength.

Psalm 138:1–3

Father, I too, thank You with all my heart. You gave Jesus and showed us Your unfailing love and faithfulness. He came into a world filled with the chaos of sin to show us Your truth. I have what I need to cling to Your promises because You hold on to me.

Thank you for giving me the strength I need each day. Thank you for giving me stillness and peace when the enemy tempts me to be restless and upset.

You are Lord of all. You are my Lord and Savior. You are everything I need today, tomorrow, and always. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.

May you enjoy a heart full of peace overwhelmed with worship and praise as you anticipate and celebrate the blessed gift of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

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