Small Potatoes

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

Perfect peace – does that not sound like a dream come true? Peace in this world of turmoil and trials seems unattainable yet God’s Promises in Isaiah 26:3 instruct us that perfect peace is an attainable goal. Yet, as with many of God’s Promises to us, there are mandates of what we must first do in order to obtain His Promises. First we are advised that we are to keep our minds “stayed on Him” if we are to have peace reigning in our lives.

Stayed – to continue to be in the same place, condition, or state -- depicts a constant abiding and focus of every cell of our minds onto God and His Word. The practice of keeping my mind stayed on Him has been an ongoing effort since cancer invaded my body. Life challenges, threats to health or wealth, and physical pain and suffering all attempt to drag our minds away from God and His Word. The “what if’s” and “could have beens” of today taunt and threaten to lug our thought life away from God’s Word and focus it on today’s temporary challenges.

No matter how large and looming life challenges might be for us, we must view them within the context of God’s teachings. They are “light and momentary troubles” – the most brutal life problem is here for but a moment when compared to eternity. 2 Corinthians Chapter 4:17-19 states: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

I especially appreciate the translation of this verse in The Message: “These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us.” Small potatoes – isn’t that a great analogy to consider? Cancer is “small potatoes” compared to the Heavenly celebration that awaits us. Personal financial losses or foreclosures in the midst of these economic trials are just “small potatoes” when compared to what God has planned for His children. Drug or alcohol addictions – again, Satan might like for us to view addictions as impossible to overcome – just “small potatoes” through God’s viewpoint.

We are taught that we must trust God in order to be the recipient of perfect peace. When I looked up TRUST in my thesaurus, the first synonym offered was FAITH. The second synonym was HOPE. When we walk with our focus properly placed on God and His Word versus on Satan and his taunts, we arrive at that place of perfect peace.

I have walked down both sides of the Faith Fence. As a young Christian, I was assured of my salvation, however, I did not walk very victoriously. I would stumble and falter when Satan would throw challenges in my path. I did more doubting than believing. I was not consistent to referring to the Bible when struggling with distractions and doubt. I did not seriously seek Him in heart-wrenching prayer. I lived my life following more of my plans than His plans for my life. And, in turn, I did not possess His perfect peace.

After years of serving Him, I slipped under the Faith Fence and began walking down the other side of the fence row. I learned to pray continually and constantly. I began studying and seeking His Word more seriously. I trusted Him more and placed my focus on Him rather than on the problems that taunted me. Gradually, His perfect peace began to take up residence in my heart and mind.

Words cannot adequately express the difference that living like this has made for me. His perfect peace allows me to soar above being told I have “end stage leukemia”. His perfect peace allows me to trust Him to save those in my family who are not serving God. His perfect peace has allowed me not to worry myself to pieces when a dishonest employer cost our family tens of thousands of dollars. His perfect peace has carried me through serious illnesses with our children. His perfect peace has given me strength to fight cancer for over a decade. His perfect peace never fails. His perfect peace is priceless. His perfect peace is absolutely worth following His instructions to achieve – keep our minds stayed on him and trust Him.