Finding Peace in the Waiting: Leaning on God

Devotional

Day 1: God's plan unfolds through unexpected, necessary journeys.

Mary and Joseph's journey shows that God's purposes often move through small, uncomfortable places and surprising routes; what looks like a detour can be the exact path required to fulfil a greater promise. When circumstances upend personal plans, it can be a sign that God is leading events to meet prophetic purpose and to prepare those involved for what is coming. Trusting that the route is necessary helps keep faith steady in the midst of disruption. [05:25]

Micah 5:2 (NKJV)
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.

Reflection: What is one unexpected or uncomfortable detour in your life you can name as possibly necessary for God’s purpose, and how will you start viewing it as part of His unfolding plan this week?

Day 2: Perfect peace comes when thoughts are fixed.

True peace is described as “shalom, shalom,” an intensified, unbroken well-being that comes when the mind is intentionally set on God rather than on circumstances. Fixing thoughts on God's character and promises is an active posture—leaning, trusting, and resting in Him so the inner life is held steady even as the outer life is unsettled. Practicing that focused leaning cultivates a peace beyond human understanding. [16:17]

Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Reflection: When anxiety comes tonight, what single truth about God will you deliberately fix your mind on to help you rest in His “perfect peace,” and how will you remind yourself to do that?

Day 3: Peace grows when you trust, not control.

The paradox of biblical peace is that it is found in surrender rather than control—trusting God with the unknown releases the need to micromanage outcomes. Leaning not on one’s own understanding means acknowledging God in every decision so He can direct the path, even when the way forward is unclear. Letting go of control opens space for God’s wisdom and direction to shape life. [20:05]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Reflection: Identify one situation you are trying to control; what is one concrete step you will take this week to acknowledge God there and release your grip so He can direct your path?

Day 4: Delays are preparation, not God's denial.

What feels like a stall or setback can be the heart-shaping work of God preparing people and circumstances for what lies ahead; delays are often formative, not punitive. Holding to faith during waiting teaches dependence, patience, and readiness so that when the moment comes it is met with grace and purpose. Remembering that God is working in unseen ways helps transform anxious waiting into expectant preparation. [11:49]

Romans 8:28 (NKJV)
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Reflection: Name a present delay or season of waiting in your life—what one skill, perspective, or piece of heart-preparation might God be shaping in you through it, and what can you do this week to cooperate with that work?

Day 5: Peace is Jesus' presence amid life's problems.

Peace is not the absence of problems but the presence of Jesus on the journey; His nearness changes how trials are borne and makes inner calm possible even when outer circumstances are hard. Inviting Emmanuel—God with us—into daily moments shifts the goal from problem-free living to living confidently with Christ at the center. Practicing awareness of His presence brings courage, hope, and the steadying power of faith. [23:25]

John 14:27 (NKJV)
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Reflection: When problems press in, what specific practice will you use in the next 24 hours to notice and invite Jesus' presence rather than demanding problem-free circumstances?

Sermon Summary

Advent is a season of preparation and hopeful waiting, and this week I leaned into the theme of peace. We often see “peace” splashed across cards and coffee mugs in December, yet the road Mary and Joseph walked hardly looked peaceful. God’s promises are sure, but the journey can be uncomfortable—full of delays, detours, and dependence. Their path to Bethlehem wasn’t a mistake; it fulfilled Micah’s prophecy that the ruler would come from Bethlehem. This wasn’t Plan B. It was Plan A, necessary and precise, even if the terrain was rough, the timing inconvenient, and the accommodations nonexistent.

Their story teaches us how peace grows in real life: through obedience when things don’t make sense, through trust when God’s timing stretches us, and through a settled confidence that His presence is the treasure, not just a tidy outcome. God’s delays are not denials; they are preparation. Mary and Joseph model peace in the waiting—a posture of heart that believes God is working even when we can’t yet see it.

Isaiah 26:3 promises “perfect peace”—shalom shalom. In Hebrew, that doubling intensifies the meaning: not more of the same peace, but a complete, unbroken wholeness that God alone gives. That peace comes to those whose minds are “fixed” on Him. The word “fixed” (samak) means to lean your full weight upon. The direction you lean is the direction you will fall. If you lean on your own understanding, you’ll collapse into anxiety. If you lean into God, you’ll find rest, even in the storm.

Proverbs 3:5–6 calls us to trust the Lord, refuse the illusion of control, and submit our ways so He can direct our paths. That’s the paradox of peace: it isn’t found by gripping harder; it’s found in surrender. Much of our worry is an overestimation of our ability to control and an underestimation of God’s goodness. The birth story reminds us: peace isn’t the absence of problems; it’s the presence of Jesus on the journey.

Key Takeaways

1. Obedience births peace in waiting Even when the call was disruptive and the details unclear, Mary and Joseph responded with prompt, willing obedience. Peace took root not because circumstances were easy, but because their “yes” aligned them with God’s steady hand. Obedience doesn’t remove tension; it anchors us inside it. Peace grows where trust becomes action. [70:35]
2. Delays are preparation, not denial God’s timing stretched them, yet every delay was shaping hearts and aligning details to fulfill His promise. Waiting trains our desires, loosening our grip on outcomes so we can receive what God actually intends. The pause is often God’s workshop, where strength, clarity, and humility are forged. Hope matures in the furnace of not-yet. [71:49]
3. Seek God’s presence over outcomes Emmanuel—God with us—is the true prize, not merely a successful result. When presence becomes the goal, anxiety loses leverage because peace is no longer tethered to circumstances. We begin to measure our days not by what changed around us, but by who was with us within it. Presence reframes every valley as inhabited ground. [73:19]
4. Lean into God, release control Perfect peace belongs to those who “lean” the full weight of their minds on God. The direction you lean is the direction you will fall—toward fear if you trust self, toward rest if you trust Him. Surrender isn’t passivity; it’s active reliance on a wiser strength. Control fractures; trust integrates the soul. [80:05]
5. Peace is Jesus with you Peace is not a sanitized life; it is a Companion who does not leave. When we equate peace with comfort, we chase illusions; when we equate peace with Christ’s nearness, we find ballast. His presence does not promise easy roads—but it promises a steady heart on every road. That is enough. [83:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[62:21] - Advent defined and Hope review
[62:52] - Lighting Hope; introducing Peace
[63:16] - Christmas lights and open witness
[64:21] - Peace on cards, messy journey
[65:06] - The journey was necessary (Micah 5:2)
[67:03] - Disrupted plans and social pressure
[68:35] - The hard road to Bethlehem
[70:35] - Peace in seasons of waiting
[71:49] - Delays as preparation, not denial
[72:41] - Emmanuel: presence over outcomes
[75:38] - Perfect peace: shalom shalom
[78:40] - Fixing the mind: samak—leaning
[80:05] - Trust, surrender, and directed paths
[83:25] - Peace is the presence of Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading (NKJV)
- Micah 5:2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting."
- Isaiah 26:3
"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You."
- Proverbs 3:5–6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."

Observation Questions (look closely at the text and the story)

What specific detail in Micah 5:2 makes Bethlehem essential to the Messiah’s coming, and what does the phrase "whose goings forth are from everlasting" tell us about the ruler's identity? [01:05:25]
Isaiah promises "perfect peace." What does the Hebrew doubling (shalom, shalom) emphasize about the kind of peace God gives? How does the word translated as "fixed" (samak) add to that picture? [01:18:40]
Proverbs 3:5–6 uses the verb "lean" and the command to "acknowledge" God. What two actions does the passage ask of the mind and heart? How do those two actions relate to each other? [01:20:05]
When the Bethlehem journey is described, what concrete hardships are named (delays, disrupted plans, poor accommodations, social pressure)? How do those details shape the image of the road to Christmas? [01:07:03]

Interpretation Questions (think about what these things mean)

If the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem was required by prophecy rather than a detour, how should that affect the way one interprets unexpected interruptions in life—are they likely random detours or might they be part of the intended path? [01:05:06]
If "shalom, shalom" signals complete, unbroken well-being beyond human understanding, what does that imply about the limits of human strategies for finding peace during prolonged stress? [01:17:36]
Proverbs calls people to "lean not on your own understanding." What does that command imply about the common habits of decision-making (analysis, control, planning) and how those habits must change when trust is the primary posture? [01:20:37]
The claim is made that "God’s delays are preparation, not denial." How does that reframe the emotional experience of waiting, and what tensions remain when someone tries to hold that belief while still feeling anxious? [01:11:49]

Application Questions (practical, personal next steps)

Where in your life right now are you leaning on your own understanding or control? What is one concrete step you can take this week to "lean" toward God instead (a prayer, a pause, asking someone to pray with you)? [01:19:08]
Identify a current delay or waiting season in your life. How might you intentionally treat this time as preparation rather than a denial—what small acts of obedience could you begin now? [01:11:49]
Who or what do you usually look to for "peace" when things are messy (successful outcomes, comfort, approval)? What would a practical reordering look like so that the presence of Jesus becomes the primary measure of peace? [01:13:19]
Think of a recent situation that felt disruptive or humiliating (social pressure, plans upended, lack of resources). What evidence can you point to that God was at work in that situation, and how can that memory help you trust in future uncertainties? [01:14:51]
What spiritual habits (Scripture reading, silence, sharing with a friend, worship) most help you keep your mind "fixed" on God? Which one will you commit to practicing this week to cultivate the "perfect peace" Isaiah describes? [01:10:35]

Use these questions to read Scripture together, tell honest stories, and then settle on one concrete spiritual practice the group or each person will try this week.

Sermon Clips

But when you think about the journey of Joseph and Mary, sometimes the word peace doesn't line up with exactly what that journey would have looked like. God's promises are sure, but the journey can be uncomfortable. And the road to Christmas was filled with delays, detours, and dependence. Delays, detours, and dependence. There wasn't a smooth journey that happened. [01:04:37] (34 seconds) #DelaysDetoursDependence

The circumstances were that they had to get back to Bethlehem. But they maintained that faith over the circumstances, recognising that the divine plan was unfolding to fulfil the prophecy. That had to be, the baby Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem. And last of all, there's hope in the process. It was a journey of purpose. Their journey wasn't a detour. Their journey wasn't a detour from the original God's plan. There was no plan B. This was plan A. And having to go to Bethlehem was plan A. It wasn't a detour. [01:14:07] (46 seconds) #PlanAAllAlong

Their journey wasn't a detour from the original God's plan. There was no plan B. This was plan A. And having to go to Bethlehem was plan A. It wasn't a detour. God's plan, it was an essential part of what had to happen. Showing that all of life's circumstances, seemingly rough things that happen, can lead to God's purpose. It's God's purpose when faith is maintained. It will ultimately lead to God's purpose. [01:14:39] (36 seconds) #FaithLeadsToPurpose

God's plan, it was an essential part of what had to happen. Showing that all of life's circumstances, seemingly rough things that happen, can lead to God's purpose. It's God's purpose when faith is maintained. It will ultimately lead to God's purpose. So God's plan, the journey wasn't a detour from God's plan, but it was an essential part of it. Something you might be going through. You might be saying, oh, look, it's just not what I'd planned. It's over here. It's not, I need to bring this back on where I think it's got to be. It's an essential part of God's plan. But you must maintain faith through that. [01:14:53] (45 seconds) #KeepFaithSteadfast

It's not, I need to bring this back on where I think it's got to be. It's an essential part of God's plan. But you must maintain faith through that. Because if you don't, then you are off and you are in turmoil. Because you have not maintained that faith to say, God has got this. God has got this. [01:15:27] (22 seconds) #GodHasThis

Do you know that's the paradox of peace? The biblical paradox of peace is the peace of God is found in surrender, not control. So, you do not get peace when you're controlling. Your peace will come when you lean and surrender into the God who loves you. The God who knows more than you know about a situation. Do you know, I can guarantee you that every time you are worried or stressed or anxious about something, you're actually overestimating your ability to control something. [01:20:49] (55 seconds) #PeaceInSurrender

Do you know, I can guarantee you that every time you are worried or stressed or anxious about something, you're actually overestimating your ability to control something. You are extra anxious. You're worried. You're stressed. You are overestimating your ability to control a situation. And the flip side of that is that you are actually underestimating your God and the goodness of your God to look after that situation. You are underestimating what your God is able to do and to do within your life in that situation. [01:21:19] (58 seconds) #TrustGodNotControl

We can have that peace. And with all else looks not peaceful around us, we can have that peace because we are leaning in to what God can do, what he can do in our life. Let me just go to our last slide and just leave you with this one. Peace isn't the absence of problems. It's the presence of Jesus on your journey. [01:23:25] (26 seconds) #PeaceIsJesus

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