Peace
Robbers
By Karen D’Amore
Peace I leave
with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not
be afraid.
John 14:27 (NIV)
Tucked on a secluded parcel in the tranquil
Kettle Moraine Forest is a retreat center called the Shalom (peace) House.
Because of its location on Shalom Drive, the name fits perfectly with its intended
purpose: a place for peace and quiet reflection. Recently, ten co-workers and I
spent a weekend at the Shalom House on a work retreat. While a door with a
broken lock made several of the women uneasy, the rest of the house fit our
retreat needs perfectly. And a chair propped against the un-securable door…
served as a peace-restoring appeasement!
On the final night of our retreat,
three of the women snuck outside to play a prank on several others who were up
late. Pandemonium broke out as the pranksters banged violently on the windows
near the un-securable door, and the others feared there was a dangerous
intruder lurking outside. As I was awakened by the blood-curdling screams of
the frightened women, the police were already on route when the pranksters were
discovered. Even after realizing there was never any real danger, and nothing
to fear, the frightened women succumbed to a sleepless night,
overpowered by fear. Needless to say, the Shalom House had been completely
robbed of its peace…over nothing!
Processing the details of the peace-robbing
incident illuminated paralleling spiritual truths. Satan, a relentless
prankster, delights in luring us into submission to fear. By victoriously
distracting us from the truth, and entrapping us with his lies, our enemy seeks
to render us powerless - - thinking that God can’t intervene on our behalf. As believers, when we
acknowledge who we are in Christ, we have the assurance that we have nothing to fear! “And let the peace that
comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are
called to live in peace.” [1]
Scripture proclaims “…in this world
you will have trouble…but… He has overcome the world.” [2]
Such “troubles” have resulted in
sleepless nights…when I’ve chosen fear over faith. God used the Shalom House
experience to awaken revelations, spurring safeguards to protect my heart
against Satan’s distracting and deceptive pranks.
Christ-followers beware…a
peace-robbing prankster lurks outside the door to our hearts and minds. Let’s
choose to rest in the Truth of the Peace-Giver who resides within us!
“In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” [3]
Remember…fear believes the robber
and faith believes the Father!
You have nothing to fear!
GOING
DEEPER:
1. What peace-robbers distract you
from the Truth?
FURTHER
READING:
Married to Dan, Karen, a retired
police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and as an
instructor in the Cosmetology Department at WCTC. Karen also serves on the
Welcoming Team at Oakwood.
[1] Colossians 3:15a, NLT
[2] John 16:33
[3] Psalm 4:8
