Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.

The world conspires to rob us of peace. Japanese uses different terms for external peace and inner peace, and the term for inner peace is used here. I can’t answer for the nuance in the Hebrew, but in the context of “mind” and “trust,” that seems reasonable. All sorts of things can rob us of peace. Not only are there limitless anxieties that threaten us, even good things can do the job. In my family we have used the term “journey proud” for the excitement before a trip that can rob us of sleep through excess adrenaline. Whatever the cause, the solution to lack of inner peace is commitment to God, fully trusting in Him. The world tries to sell us things like aroma therapy and meditation, not to mention tranquilizers and the like, but those at best address surface symptoms. This verse gets at the root of the issue. The term “faith” is bandied about a great deal among Christians, but it often seems divorced from the real world. That’s why I like to use “trust,” because trust is always a matter of practical application. The letters of both James and John speak strongly against any “faith” that fails to follow through in action. This verse provides a good gauge of our trust level toward God: are we firmly grounded in peace?

I am currently being tested in this area in a way I am certainly not used to. With assorted intricacies of the Japanese pension system, my wife and I not only start receiving regular pension payments this year, we just received a lump sum that caused a major shift in our bank balance. Objectively speaking, I’m very interested to see the degree of turmoil that has caused in me. I have been comfortable with trusting God when we couldn’t see how He was going to provide, but I find myself tied in knots over abundance! This gives me a handle I’ve never had before on a very famous statement by Paul: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:12-13) I have felt like I was “living in plenty,” but am discovering I don’t know well how to do that. I am very concerned with being a good steward of God’s provision, whether financial or otherwise. I need to be content in whatever situation God places me, knowing that He will give me the necessary strength, and rest, relax, and rejoice in Him.

Father, thank You indeed for Your abundant provision. I have prayed that, in those words, pretty consistently over the years, even when our bank balance was virtually nonexistent. Help me rest at peace in You now in different circumstances, trusting You to guide me in Your plans, for the salvation of many and for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!