God's Rest Area

By Tiffany Dudley

Sometimes problems and difficulties hit our lives like a tornado. Leaving people in worry, fear, and stress. God did not design us to live that way. We were created to live in rest. The challenge is entering in that rest. As you go through the chapters, you will see some things that prevent most believers from entering God's rest. Once you identify these causes, you can then enter God's rest.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098014995

Book preview

Chapter 1

What Is Peace?

Bef ore we learn how to get to peace, we must first learn what peace means. If you look up the definition of peace, you will find it means a state of tranquility or quiet. In my mind, when I thought of peace, I would picture a beach. You know that picture that shows one lone chair not far from the edge of the water. It has a small table next to the chair with a cold drink on top. The drink is a pretty pink and orange with a pink umbrella beside the straw. The picture is taken right around sunset so you can see the warm orange, yellow, and red light up the sky. The silhouette of the palm tree is barely visible on one corner of the picture as it provides shade over the chair.

I could just imagine myself sitting there all alone, feeling the cool, gentle breeze on my skin, as I watch the sunset. There is no background noise from people or traffic, just the sound of the waves as they wash up against the shore. Whenever I was stressed or worried, this was the picture I would see in my head. This is what I wanted. I wanted to get away; as far away as possible from the problem, the storm.

I would pray for God to give me this peace. There were moments where I would find this peace. Times where we would go on a family outing or something, and I would feel relaxed and happy. Before long, the ever-present feeling of dread or anxiety would return. That relaxed feeling would never last.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).

I remember reading that verse, thinking, How can you possibly not be anxious? I mean, really, how can you not worry about losing your job? How do you find peace in not having enough money to pay rent? What do you do with your failing marriage? How is this even possible?

I could not see how this was possible because I had the wrong picture of peace. Peace is not running away to the beach to escape the storm. But this was the picture I had on the inside. This is what I would pray for God to give me. Before God could give me peace, He had to redefine and give me the right picture of what peace really