How can we know true peace?

I remember stepping into a new leadership role and staring at my list of responsibilities.

“All of this is up to me…” The thought weighed me down with worry.

“What if I mess it up? Or what if something happens that’s out of my control? What if the worst happens?”

Maybe you’ve ridden this train of thought before, too.

All of us live complicated lives of responsibilities, decisions, difficulties and uncertainties. And this breeds stress.

But what if I told you that long before we were born, God made a way for us to face even the stressful parts of life with unshakeable peace?

That is the truth we read in Micah 5.

You see, way back in Old Testament times, God promised to send a Savior who would come from Bethlehem and reign over His people.

That Savior is Jesus … and just listen to what Micah says about Him:

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And He will be our peace…”
Micah 5:4-5a, NIV

True peace isn’t a feeling that ebbs and flows based on circumstances.

True peace is knowing you belong to Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

Because if you do belong to Him (if you have put your faith in Him), then no matter what happens in life…

Jesus will tend to your needs:

Think about all that a shepherd does for his sheep: he protects them, provides for them, guides them and mends them when they are wounded.

We can count on Jesus to do all of that for us, as believers.

Our fears and temptations

Our needs

Our decisions

Our wounds

…are not up to us to handle alone.

He sees us, He cares for us, and He is strong enough to shoulder the burdens we falter under.

Jesus will secure you:

Even as we live life with the Good Shepherd, there are times when the worst does happen.

There are also times when we do mess things up.

But in those moments, we can know that Jesus is still holding on to us. He’s not going to let us go and He’s not going to give up on us!

Romans 8:33-39 says this better than I ever could:

“Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NLT)

Jesus, our Savior and Shepherd, will hold us secure even if we fail and even if the worst happens.

So today, if you find yourself weighed down with worries like…

“What if I mess it up?”

“What if something happens that’s out of my control?”

“What if the worst happens?”

…remind yourself:

It’s not all up to you.

Because you have a Shepherd.

Putting it into Practice:

What weighs heavy on you today?

Take some time to tell your Good Shepherd about it and ask for His help in prayer.

Do you know someone else who needs this encouragement? Please send them a link to this post. I pray that all who visit The Well-Worn Bible will be pointed to Jesus and find all they need in Him.

Join The Email List