00:00:00 Thanks for joining me on Episode 5 60 seven of the inspired Stewardship podcast. I'm Jennifer was Otto, author of Inheriting Chaos With Compassion. I encourage you to find the ways to be loving with your family both before and after you pass, and one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this. He inspired stewardship podcast with my friends got major. You can spend the time that you need in prayer and meditation in reflection, and it's okay. You don't have to be afraid. You can still prepare.
00:00:46 That's not disrespecting God. It's not the opposite. Preparation is not the opposite of faith that God wants us to be prepared. God wants us to take precautions. He knows that we live in the real world. Welcome and thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship. Podcasts. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent and your treasures for your true calling in the inspired stewardship Podcast will learn to invest in yourself,
00:01:20 invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the world in today's Spirituals Foundation episode about developing your influence. I talk with you about why peace be with you is such a significant passage especially right now what peace really is and what it isn't and how you can find peace in times of chaos. So given everything that's going on right now, peace, maybe a little in short supply around you, your friends, your family or where you're living. I'm recording this in the midst of the Corvette 19 our cove in 19 virus scare.
00:02:07 That's going on that, you know, to be clear, I don't know exactly how this is gonna play out.
00:02:13 I don't know what all is going on at this point. Things were still early, but we're beginning to see here in the United States that we're shutting things down and beginning to create some social distancing in the hopes of lowering the infection spread and flattening the curve as they call it.
00:02:33 And it made me reflect this morning, as I was reading in a my devotional I Red John, Chapter 20 verse 19 where it says peace be with you.
00:02:45 I got to thinking about that phrase. This occurs where the disciples have just buried Jesus, and they're probably a little bit scared and a little bit confused.
00:02:55 It describes them, is hiding in the upper room. They're they're afraid they don't know what's do, what's going on.
00:03:02 Their leader has just passed away, and yet they start hearing rumors that people have seen Jesus alive. And then Jesus appears among them in the locked room.
00:03:16 In the very first words out of his mouth. Or peace be with you, Jesus and the Bible.
00:03:23 There's there's certain phrases that occur time and time again. Peace be with you is one of those. Do not be afraid is another.
00:03:31 And I joke that sometimes when those phrases come out, it's like Wait a minute, do exactly the opposite,
00:03:36 or at least that the normal human reaction would be to feel exactly the opposite. And I think right now is a similar situation in that piece is probably something that most of us are not feeling right now.
00:03:53 Piece in the biblical use. That word that Jesus is using doesn't mean the kind of light not being disturbed,
00:04:04 not being worried kind of peace that we often use that word as we often say. You know, I feel it.
00:04:13 Peace and what we really mean is I'm not frustrated. I'm not angry. I'm not disturbed. Things were going okay.
00:04:20 The peace here is based on Shalom, which in Hebrew does mean peace. But it means peace that is described as completeness,
00:04:33 soundness, welfare and peace. It's this deep feeling of understanding that things will work out, that God is good all the time and that we can have confidence in God and still take preparations and still do what we need to do.
00:04:54 Toa protect ourselves and to protect others, we can lift each other up and show love and concern. Instead of fear and panic.
00:05:04 We can build everyone up in a way that everyone has soundness and wholeness. It's tranquility. It's true soul,
00:05:16 deep feeling of peace. And and the truth is, I think peace is often underrated like hope as an emotion.
00:05:31 We often don't think about peace as something that we can have in today's world. But notice, too.
00:05:40 Jesus doesn't point to what the disciples have gone through. Jesus doesn't begin to either belittle the disciples for the fear that they have,
00:05:51 nor does he point to the fear and say, Look This is what's going on CC. You should be afraid.
00:05:57 He doesn't chastise them, but he also doesn't buy into it. Instead, he offers them a glimpse into the reality that he has one of confidence.
00:06:09 One of competence. One. We're even though you don't know what is going on, you still can react without fear.
00:06:19 You still can react with a sense of understanding. You still can begin toe build things up. This isn't just idealism.
00:06:29 This isn't being a poly Anna. This is overcoming chaos with a deep sense of peace. And that's really what we need right now.
00:06:42 So some advice for you, some things that you can recognise from this story and used to build up your own sense of peace.
00:06:51 And I think the first and most important thing is to recognize that we need to have kindness for ourselves.
00:07:01 We need to take care of ourselves, and basically this is a process that we have to go through all the time of pointing our eyes towards God and Jesus and working towards redemption and peace.
00:07:18 And this is a process, not an event. It's not something that happens instantaneously, and it's not something that we do perfectly.
00:07:25 It's something that we struggle with each and every day. But be kind to yourself, be kind to others as well.
00:07:35 Recognize that they're struggling just a cz much, if not more than you. And if someone is panicked,
00:07:42 don't buy into the panic. But also don't belittle them for their fear because they're feeling that fear. It is their truth,
00:07:51 and that's the second thing. Recognize the truth of the feelings that you have and the truth of the feelings that others have recognized.
00:08:02 Those feelings reflect on them, but don't dwell in them. Don't live there if you're feeling fear, recognize that.
00:08:10 But recognize, too, that you can have confidence in the word of God. And you can have confidence that this,
00:08:18 too, shall pass. This isn't a surprise to God. It's just a surprise to us and then continue to reflect.
00:08:29 Continue to pray, continue to do the things that you need to do to take care of yourself physically and mentally and emotionally.
00:08:37 Recognize that this gift from Christ of peace is a deep, soul lifting experience, one that you can tune into at any time.
00:08:52 You can spend the time that you need in prayer, in meditation, in reflection. And it's okay.
00:09:01 You don't have to be afraid. You can still prepare. That's not disrespecting God. It's not the opposite.
00:09:09 Preparation is not the opposite of faith. God wants us to be prepared. God wants us to take precautions.
00:09:16 He knows that we live in the real world. But God also wants us to recognize that regardless of what we do,
00:09:24 our faith still needs to be in God our first place that we point our face needs to be to God,
00:09:32 and everything else comes second. But that doesn't mean it doesn't come. It's okay if you're doing preparations.
00:09:40 It's okay if you're a little bit afraid. Don't beat yourself up for that. But then re center yourself.
00:09:48 Breathe. Move away from the panic and fear. Don't make decisions out of panic and fear. Make decisions out of confidence.
00:09:57 Incompleteness in the word of God and may peace be with you. Thanks for listening. Thanks so much for listening to the inspired stewardship Podcast.
00:10:16 As a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen. But act on what you've heard and find a way toe live your calling.
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00:10:58 your talent and your treasures develop your influence and impact world.