Christianity Oasis Forum

[diasgang]

I am struggling with having the peace of the Lord in my life especially during times of failure or expected failure. I pray and ask God and rebuke it in the name of Jesus and, sometimes, for a moment I feel the Lord's peace that everything will work for God's glory and good. But then, like the rushing wind, anxiety will come to me and I will be overcome with fear. I want the peace of the Lord during times of trials, temptations and tribulations and not just during the times when everything seems to be going well (which seems to be few these days). And so here is the latest trial that hasn't even happened yet but I am already anticipating the worse which brings such anxiety and sometimes paralyzing fear. My 18 year old son has failed his driving test twice and has been very discouraged over it and depressed. Tomorrow is the third time that he will take this test to get his license. When I talk with him, he is already anticipating that he will fail again and so I try to encourage him to have hope and to not let that negative talk come out of his mouth or to even think it. I have taken him out many times and practice and some days I think that he is going to ace this test because it goes well and other days it does not go as well and I begin to panic. Yesterday he was doing a lane change and he did not see a car that had already gone to the other lane and crept up to him suddenly. He was almost in an accident but praise God he was able to maneuver back in his own lane. When he makes a mistake such as that he feels so angry with himself that he gives up and doesn't want to practice anymore that day. Fortunately he does not give up completely. However, I fear that if he fails a third time that he will give up. We are going to continue practicing today and tomorrow before the test. Please pray for both of us that God will find favor on us and give peace to both my son and myself.

[dema]

I don't find that in general rebuking helps much. If you are having the same persistent attack, it may help. Particularly if you immediately follow it with praise. And that is the answer to your question. The secret to having peace in and of the Lord is to praise. Get in a place where nobody will hear or care and praise the Lord over and over.

Whenever you are being attacked, Praise. If you have to do it in your head, do it in your head. But it is more effective out loud.

If the stupids start happening in threes - praise the Lord. Maybe rebuke first and then praise. But end on Praise.

If you say a bad word, Praise the Lord three times for each bad word.

The Psalms, parts of Job, many places in the Bible are places of praise. You can read them. Or you can just say,

"God, you are the creator of the Universe. You are so marvelous and wonderful. And I am so small. And yet you care for me. God you are good. Jesus, you cared so much. To live and die for me. You are wonderful and mighty and powerful. And loving and caring. God is good. God is good. God is good. Hallelujah. Jesus is Lord."

If driving makes your son so nervous, then maybe it would be a blessing if he didn't get his license yet. Do you need him to have his license? Is it vital that he have it to get a job or to get to school? If it isn't, them maybe he can just wait a few weeks before he tries again. Take the pressure off. Sometimes God is protecting us by not answering our prayers in the way we want them answered.

But, like Job, still we must praise the Lord. Whether life is good or not, we shall praise. Whether it is the way we want it or not, we shall praise.

In distress - praise.

I think you will find that if you really start filling your days with praise - ten, twenty times a day, stop and praise the Lord. The bathroom stall is a good place, . Then I think you will find that life really changes.

[Dora]

Thank you for sharing. I hope you have found peace.

Our sister Dema is right. Praise breaks through the anxiety. He has been my life saver and my life Savior.

It doesn't mean I don't have hard times. When I remember to thank Him and praise Him peace comes.

God. Less and keep you.