[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:10] Welcome back to Friday's edition of the Weekday Podcast. Thanks for being with us. If you missed any of this week, I would encourage you to go back and play a little bit of catch up because they're all connected together. And today's episode is all about the God of peace is with you. Now if there's one verse that I'd love for you to carry into this holiday season, it's this one from Philippians 4, verse 9. He says, Whatever you've learned, whatever you've received, whatever you've heard or seen in me, put into practice. And I love this phrase and the God of peace will be with you. I love how Paul ends this whole section. He doesn't say, and you'll finally feel peaceful. If everything goes according to plan, he says, the God of peace will be with you. It's not a suggestion, it's a promise. That peace isn't a vibe that we chase. It's not a mood that we manufacture. Peace is actually a person and his name is Jesus. So if you're a follower of Christ, he's already with you right now. And here's what I want to say about that. That peace is not about perfection. It's about presence. Maybe this December looks a lot like last year. The same stresses, the same bills, the same family dynamics that can get a little tense if we're honest. But what if your inner world could be different even if your outer world stays the same? Paul's writing these words from a prison cell, yet he's radiating peace not because life is easy, but because God is near. It's the same truth you and I can build our lives on. Peace isn't found in the absence of problems. It's found in the presence of God. Peace comes when you practice what you know. Paul says, whatever you've learned from me, put into practice. He's reminding us that peace grows through rhythms, not reactions. Now we can't just hear about peace on a Sunday and expect to live in it on a Monday.
[00:01:49] We have to practice it. One prayer, one pause, one decision at a time.
[00:01:53] When we rejoice before the pressure, when we protect our margin, when we choose presence over perfection, peace begins to take root. And that's the pattern that God loves to bless. He doesn't promise a stress free December, but he does promise a spirit filled one. Peace is built through our daily choices. So I want to give you some practical ways. How do you carry peace through the holiday rush? Here's a few reminders from everything we've talked about all Week long. Number one, prepare before the pressure. You can't build a shelter in the middle of the storm. Pray before you panic. Plan before you spend. Forgive before you gather. When you prepare your heart early, peace meets you later. Number two, protect your peace. You can't fill your life with noise and expect to hear from God. Guard your heart. Unplug, breathe. Let God's peace stand watch over you. Number three, choose perfection. Not perfection, but presence. Don't miss what's real because you're chasing what's ideal. God meets you in the imperfection. You don't need to perform your way into his peace. You just need to be present in it.
[00:02:55] Number four, protect your margin. If everything feels heavy, it's probably because your life is too full. Peace needs space to stay. Say no to the good things so that you can say yes to the best things. And number five, remember who's with you. That's the heartbeat of this whole passage. The God of peace will be with you. Not occasionally, not when you've earned it. Not when you've got your act together. And he's with you now. Steady, strong, and closer than your next breath. And peace will carry you through. Now. Maybe you've been trying to create peace by fixing everything, keeping everyone happy, making everything perfect, crossing every item off the list. But real peace isn't achieved. It's actually received.
[00:03:35] It's not the result of everything being under control. It's the result of realizing you're not in control. And that's okay. I think about it like holding onto a balloon. If you cling to it tightly, the tension keeps it from rising. But the moment you let go, it floats higher and freer. And that's what surrender looks like. Peace rises when you release. Paul doesn't say, go, chase peace. He says, let the peace of God guard you. And then the God of peace will be with you. It's peace on both sides of the promise, guarding you and going with you. So what if this year you stopped trying to control the chaos and you simply carried peace through it?
[00:04:12] You might still have a long list, the people around you might still be stressful. But the God who's with you, he hasn't changed. He hasn't left. He's not overwhelmed.
[00:04:21] He is there with you. So what's your next step? As we close out this series this week, I want to invite you to do something simple. Take one small, intentional step towards peace this week. Maybe it's pausing before you react. Maybe it's resting before you rush. Maybe it's praying before you plan whatever it looks like, just start there. Peace does not show up when the noise stops. Peace shows up when you invite Jesus into the noise.
[00:04:48] Before December hits full speed, take a breath, bring your heart before God and pray something like this. God, I give you my holiday season before it begins. Guard my heart, guard my thoughts and help me to walk in your peace. May my home, my work, my words reflect your calm in a chaotic world.
[00:05:05] In Jesus name, Amen. You don't have to have it all together to have peace. You just have to walk with the one who is peace Man. I hope this week has been helpful. We're so grateful for you. And then we can't wait to see you very, very soon, either in person here at Sugar Hill Church
[email protected] have a great day and we'll see.
[00:05:32] It.
