Knowing that a New Year is just around the corner, I’ve been praying for the year ahead, asking God for His guidance. And one verse has been heavy on my heart every day:
“The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.” — Isaiah 32:17 (New International Version) What a powerful promise — and a timely one. We live in challenging days, and with so much chaos all around us, quietness and confidence can seem hard to come by. But when we line up our priorities with God’s, our lives begin to fall in place like they should. I see it all the time in the lives of women who are living at Shepherd’s Gate. When many of them first come to us, their lives are just a mess. Many of them have experienced severe trauma in their lives, and they’ve been frantically struggling just to make it through each day. There’s not much peace and very little confidence. But as God begins working in their hearts, an amazing transformation takes place. As they start to heal, they become comfortable in their own skin. Their self-esteem begins to be built back up as they understand — most of them for the first time — how God sees them and loves them.
It’s true in my own life as well — I’m so thankful that God is faithful to bring peace to our hearts as we live His way! Does this verse strike a chord with you? What are some ways you’ve found quietness and confidence in your life? Please share in the comments section below — I love hearing from you!