Finding Peace in Crisis: Trusting God's Plan

Devotional

Day 1: Stay Grounded in God's Peace

In times of crisis, it is easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of God's presence. Jesus taught His disciples to remain calm and focus on God, emphasizing that not everything is an emergency. By keeping our eyes on God, we can find peace and avoid being overwhelmed by life's challenges. This principle encourages us to trust in God's sovereignty and to let His peace guide us through life's storms. When we face unexpected difficulties, we are reminded that God's plan is greater than our immediate circumstances, and His peace is available to us if we choose to seek it. [21:53]

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."

Reflection: What is one specific situation in your life where you need to consciously choose to focus on God's peace rather than the chaos around you?

Day 2: Joy in the Midst of Trials

Choosing to rejoice and express gratitude during difficult times can ground us and provide strength. Jesus encouraged His disciples to find joy even in the face of adversity, reminding us that our faith is not based on feelings but on trust in God's goodness. This perspective allows us to see beyond our immediate struggles and recognize the blessings that God has placed in our lives. By cultivating a heart of gratitude, we align ourselves with God's will and open ourselves to His transformative power, even in the midst of trials. [35:05]

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV): "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you can choose to express gratitude today, despite the challenges you may be facing.

Day 3: Eternal Perspective in Earthly Challenges

Understanding our problems in light of eternity helps us maintain a heavenly mindset. Jesus spoke of heaven to give His disciples perspective, showing that even if things don't go as planned, our ultimate destination is with God, where all earthly concerns fade away. This eternal perspective allows us to navigate life's challenges with hope and assurance, knowing that our current struggles are temporary in light of eternity. By focusing on our heavenly home, we can find strength and encouragement to persevere through difficult times. [41:00]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: How can you remind yourself of the eternal perspective when faced with a specific challenge this week?

Day 4: Trust in God's Sovereign Plan

Jesus' death and resurrection were part of a divine plan, not a failure. By trusting in God's sovereignty, we can face our crises with confidence, knowing that He is working all things for our good and His glory. This trust in God's plan allows us to surrender our fears and anxieties, recognizing that He is in control and has a purpose for everything we experience. As we place our trust in Him, we can find peace and assurance, even in the midst of uncertainty. [13:56]

Proverbs 19:21 (ESV): "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to surrender control and trust in God's plan today?

Day 5: Seek Divine Guidance in Crisis

We are designed to receive direction from God, and in times of crisis, His guidance is essential. By spending time in prayer and His Word, we align ourselves with His will and find the peace and strength needed to navigate life's challenges. Seeking God's guidance allows us to make decisions that honor Him and reflect His love to those around us. As we cultivate a habit of seeking His direction, we become more attuned to His voice and more confident in our ability to follow His lead. [19:15]

James 1:5 (ESV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Reflection: What specific decision or situation do you need to bring before God in prayer today, seeking His guidance and wisdom?

Sermon Summary

In the days leading up to Easter, we reflect on the tumultuous week that began with Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and culminated in His crucifixion and resurrection. This period was a whirlwind of events for Jesus and His disciples, filled with teaching, betrayal, and the ultimate sacrifice. The disciples faced a crisis of faith as their expectations of Jesus as the Messiah clashed with the reality of His impending death. They had left everything to follow Him, believing He would overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel. Instead, they were confronted with the unthinkable: Jesus' crucifixion.

In our own lives, we often encounter crises that shake our foundations. We may feel betrayed, see our dreams crumble, or face unexpected tragedies. The question then becomes, how do we navigate these crises? Jesus prepared His disciples for the crisis of His death by teaching them principles that are still relevant for us today. He emphasized the importance of not panicking, maintaining focus on God, and understanding the bigger picture of God's plan.

Jesus' mission was clear, and His death was necessary for our salvation. He assured His disciples that His death was not the end but a part of God's greater plan, which included His resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. This assurance was meant to provide hope and perspective, reminding them that even in the darkest times, God's purpose prevails.

As we face our own crises, we are encouraged to apply these principles: don't freak out, rejoice in the midst of trials, and keep an eternal perspective. By doing so, we align ourselves with God's plan and find peace in His presence. Our crises, though real and challenging, are temporary in light of eternity. We are called to trust in God's sovereignty and to let His peace guide us through life's storms.

Key Takeaways

1. Don't Freak Out: In times of crisis, it's crucial to remain calm and focus on God. Jesus taught His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled, emphasizing that everything is not an emergency. By keeping our eyes on God, we can find peace and avoid being overwhelmed by life's challenges. [21:53]
2. Rejoice in Crisis: Choosing to rejoice and express gratitude during difficult times can ground us and provide strength. Jesus encouraged His disciples to find joy even in the face of adversity, reminding us that our faith is not based on feelings but on trust in God's goodness. [35:05]
3. Put It into Perspective: Understanding our problems in light of eternity helps us maintain a heavenly mindset. Jesus spoke of heaven to give His disciples perspective, showing that even if things don't go as planned, our ultimate destination is with God, where all earthly concerns fade away. [41:00]
4. Trust in God's Plan: Jesus' death and resurrection were part of a divine plan, not a failure. By trusting in God's sovereignty, we can face our crises with confidence, knowing that He is working all things for our good and His glory. [13:56]
5. Seek God's Guidance: We are designed to receive direction from God, and in times of crisis, His guidance is essential. By spending time in prayer and His Word, we align ourselves with His will and find the peace and strength needed to navigate life's challenges. [19:15]
** [19:15]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:33] - The Disciples' Crisis
[08:40] - Jesus' Purpose and Mission
[13:56] - Assurance of Resurrection
[16:38] - The Let Switch
[19:15] - Seeking God's Guidance
[21:53] - Don't Freak Out
[24:02] - Perfect Peace
[27:05] - Spending Time with God
[30:40] - Let No Man Despise You
[33:03] - Rejoice in Crisis
[35:05] - Gratitude and Rejoicing
[37:55] - Put It into Perspective
[41:00] - Heaven's Perspective
[45:29] - Eternal vs. Worldly Mindset

Sermon Clips

"So Jesus repeatedly foretold his death to prepare his disciples for the reality of it. Listen to Matthew chapter 16, verse 21. The Bible says, from that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised. He's telling them directly. This was to help them understand that this was part of God's plan and not just a fail. This isn't just going to be a failure. It's going to look bad in the beginning, but it's not going to turn out that way." [00:10:37] (40 seconds)

"Jesus went on to assure them that they wouldn't be left alone. So in John, amen, in John chapter 16, verse seven, he said this, nevertheless, nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send him to you. This was his direct promise that the Holy Spirit was going to come and equip them after his death." [00:14:52] (33 seconds)

"Number one, don't freak out. Crisis comes. The tough decision comes. Don't freak out. Jesus set the tone right here. And we already quoted the verse today. John 14, verse one. Let not, let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. Don't be troubled. And I just got to say something right here too. Everything is not an emergency. That's just practical advice right there. Everything is not an emergency." [00:19:49] (45 seconds)

"Your job is to not buy it. Don't buy into that. Well, this thing happened. Well, he comes along and said, well, the reason that happens is because all this other stuff is wrong. And if you just knew what they were thinking about you, if you knew what they said about you behind your back, and you'll blow it out of proportion, and then you end up freaking out. And you blow step number one. Step number one. Don't freak out." [00:20:52] (28 seconds)

"It's your job to focus on the Lord no matter what. We've got to learn to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. And I've spent a lot of years trying to do this myself. And I have not completely succeeded. But I'm on the way. I'm planning on doing better tomorrow than I did today. We've got to focus on the Lord. The last half of that verse that we just read says that you can believe also in me." [00:21:59] (34 seconds)

"The idea here is to get the focus off of you and onto God. Because it's not about you anyway. It's never been about you. It's never going to be about you. It's always going to be about him. You don't have to freak out and fall apart like some cheap suitcase every time something doesn't go your way. And I know a lot of you might be sitting here thinking, man, he is preaching really, really good to the person that's sitting beside me." [00:22:58] (32 seconds)

"You don't have to freak out. You can choose how you'll respond. And you have a choice of whether you let things bother you or you let not things bother you. And sometimes you just have to get over it and grow up and move on. I'm not going to have you repeat it, but you probably should. You just have to, you just, sometimes you just have to get over it, grow up and move on." [00:23:45] (32 seconds)

"If you, if you let the things that came to you to disrupt you, stop you in your tracks, who really wins? You don't win. God's plan and will for your life doesn't win. You can't let stuff stop you and keep you stagnant. You got to move on. So when I say don't freak out and focus on the Lord, I mean, fix your eyes on him. The Bible says this, this is a great verse." [00:24:52] (33 seconds)

"If you don't get anything else out of the message today, think about this. The Bible says he will keep you in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on the Lord. He will keep you in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on the Lord. That word stayed is a really interesting word. If you look it up in the Greek, what it means is stayed. It just means to stay right there." [00:25:11] (31 seconds)

"It actually means to, to rest and focus on him. Amen. So the problem is that we desperately need and we really want the perfect peace part of that. We want that. But we're also unwilling to rest and focus on him. Isn't that part of the problem? I mean, he's not the problem. He's saying you can have this, but you've got to stay your thoughts on him. You've got to think about him. These things that we face in life often interrupt our focus." [00:25:44] (47 seconds)

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