Devotionals for the Heart: Peace

Blanketed by Peace
A devotional by Malinda Fugate

Key Scripture:

Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 94:19, Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)

As the minutes of election night ticked on, my anxiety grew. I would be able to react to one outcome or the other, but the unknown and waiting weighed on existing anxieties already plaguing my soul. It was as if the tumultuous year of 2020 had reached its ripeness, fully ready for a harvest of stress and worry.

My hands needed something to do to keep me from obsessively checking for electoral map updates. A bag of yarn and crochet hook sat nearby, inviting me into the lull of repetitive stitching. Not long ago, I decided to turn my leftover scraps into a blanket, mixing odd colors together in a mismatched blend. As I looped yarn over hook and slipped each stitch into place, a calming rhythm developed. The soft beginnings of a blanket covered my lap with comforting warmth. Temporarily forgetting the drama unfolding at polling places around the country, I was able to just be present in the safety of my cozy apartment.

With my hands busy at yarn work, my thoughts were able to focus on the Lord. I echoed my continuous prayer that His will is done in our nation, that His righteous wisdom would guide our leaders. I confessed how helpless I felt and how concerned I was with possible outcomes. Little by little, I became aware of His presence. God’s promises overrode my what-ifs and the tightness in my chest loosened a bit.

The interesting thing about my crochet project is that every stitch builds a bit more blanket. My anxious energy was being directed into the movement of the yarn, resulting in something that I will soon be able to wrap around myself for coziness and reassurance. Like the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin spinning straw into gold, I was crocheting anxiety into comfort.

Yet, a security blanket only comforts the surface. Praise God, He comforts the heart. Each moment in prayer is like another stitch in the blanket as the Lord covers us with His peace. We give Him our worries and He exchanges them for serenity. At times, this exchange seems slower than we would like in our instant gratification world, but with each prayer, His solace increases.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

We find promises in His word that remind us that He is in control and working for our good.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

We find that in prayer with thanksgiving, we begin to see our situation from God’s point of view. Little by little He reveals His perspective and plan. When we see His goodness, we discover more peace.

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” (Psalm 94:19)

Though joy seems far away when our hearts are troubled, we gradually find glimpses of rejoicing the longer we rest in His presence. He brings gladness in place of mourning.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

When we learn to exist in His presence constantly and not merely occasionally, we find lasting peace unhindered by anxieties and fear. Yes, worries can still pester at the edges of our thoughts, but with eyes on God’s big picture, we recognize that they are smaller than we once imagined. We perpetually hand them over to God and receive His comfort in exchange. He wraps our heart in peace beyond comprehension, in the security of His love.

~*~
Author Bio:

Malinda Fugate writes from the heart. 

Though she serves full time as the Children’s Education Director at a church in Southern California, she is also a crafter of words published in books.

Her writing includes children's faith resources, commercial copywriting, and various faith-based stage and screenplays.

Malinda invites you to explore the various 3:16s in the Bible with her new book, The Other Three Sixteens (published by Ambassador International in May 2020).

She also invites you to read her previously published books: Bible Time for Active Kids, which is an activities-based devotional that is available for purchase on Amazon.com, and The Pen and the Sword: Connecting With the Word of God, which is an interactive creative writing journal.

Malinda earned a communications degree with a theatre emphasis from Azusa Pacific University, and then worked behind the scenes at the Los Angeles Salem radio stations, including The Fish and KKLA.

When she's not writing or working at church, Malinda might be creating art, reading, or exploring the many adventures to be found in the Los Angeles area. She lives by the beach with her pup, Yoshi.

Visit Malinda online via https://www.malindafugate.com.