The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
- Isaiah 32:17
When you were a kid, have you ever done something that you knew was wrong and you became worried about how your parents or teachers would react when they find out? Have you ever made an error at work or did not do a job as well as you'd hope on a project and became concerned about how that may impact the outcome?
In those moments, I can recall the feelings of guilt, disappointment, regret, fear, sadness, and anxiousness that consume me. My mind would race and it would have difficulties focusing on other things. At night, I would feel restless and have trouble sleeping or have poor quality of sleep. Sometimes, my stomach feels queasy or feels as though it's in knots.
Although there remains to be moments of regret that I wish I could take back in my life, I do find that many of these feelings do subside when I take responsibility for actions I have done wrong, apologize or attempt to remedy the situation with honesty and maturity.
Peace comes to those who do the right things. Even if the right thing is difficult to do, if we embrace righteousness and follow Christ, our soul rests with confidence and calmness. The outcome of righteousness is peace. Peace does not come from merely relaxing or meditating. Inner peace can only be found when we follow the path of righteousness and invite God into our lives. If our minds are burdened by our wrongdoings, it will not know peace.
Reflection: What can you do to stay on the path of righteousness to achieve peace?
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Christian Calm Radio offers worship and praise music along with weekly devotional studies. This week's focus will be on finding peace through righteousness.