Isaiah 26:3 He will keep those in perfect peace whose mind is stayed (supported, leaned on, rested in, sustained, upheld, refreshed, revived, braced) on Him: because we trust in Him.

The mind is a tricky and powerful place. Thoughts come in right and left, so fast sometimes they’re difficult to process. The Bible tells us some of our thoughts are not even our own, and we can’t trust them (2 Corinthians 10:5). We have to weigh every thought with the Word, and throw the ones out that aren’t true, replacing the thought with the truth (Romans 12:2). The mind can truly be a scary place.

But what I most love about this verse in Isaiah is that the Lord distributes the peace. We have control over where are mind goes, and if we keep it on Him, peace comes. This is why our time with Him is critical. It’s also why our time with Him is always under attack with business, sickness, and unbelievable distractions.

Earlier this year, I dedicated my Tuesdays and Thursdays while the boys were in preschool to seek Him, worship, pray, read my Bible, talk with Him, and listen. I started having sleepless Mondays and Wednesdays, and no matter how many things I cleared from my schedule, tasks continued to pile up. My mind constantly wandered to my to-do list, and anxiousness filled my belly.

Additionally during that time period, I found Will’s hair infested with lice (He is the sweetest five-year-old and spunkiest five-year-old you’ll ever meet.). Do you know what kind of mental torment comes with lice?! Wash the sheets, bag what you can’t wash, spray and vacuum the furniture and carpet, sleep on towels— they’re easier to wash, hair treatments four times for all of us, sleep with an itchy head anyway because the hair treatment is really harsh, did I miss that piece of couch in the corner? Don’t forget the car seats, don’t put your head on that! Re-wash EVERYTHING EVERY DAY. It was an endless cycle. And I found a bug in Will’s head again one week later 😭.

But that day I found the bug, instead of going into another cleaning frenzy, I turned on my worship music, flipped open my Bible, and Isaiah 26:3 glared bright yellow, practically yelling at me from the page. I heard you Lord, loud and clear, and I saw what the enemy is trying to steal from me. My PEACE. And yours, too.

Friends, join me in keeping our minds focused on Jesus and His Word. Pay attention to what you’re thinking about. If you find your thoughts barreling down an anxious road, choose a different thought. Ask the Holy Spirit for help. He is our Helper. Keep your mind on Him as long as it takes for peace to come. He is faithful and trustworthy. Peace will come every time we take the time to adjust our thoughts toward Him. He is a genius, so why not ask Him what to do in every situation? He will unfold His plan if you ask for help.

My heart was filled with peace that day, even though my mind wanted to worry about the lice some more. I retained my peace and my joy! I hope after this little note, you can be on your road to peace, too.

Love and hugs,

Cristy

Photo cred: https://unsplash.com/@roland_loesslein/portfolio