Who to trust for peace and life: God or Self

Recently, I was an eyewitness to an accident where a young man lost his life. However, over the next several days after the accident, the reports of said incident were so varied that it almost appeared as though there had been a second accident to which I was not an eyewitness. The seemingly disregard for human life was overwhelming. Nothing made sense until God revealed the source of the confusion.

The spirit of SELF-preservation! 

This is not a new trait. Apostle Peter immediately comes to mind. Not only did Peter know Jesus, he walked, talked, and ate, with Him for three years.  Yet, despite what Peter thought he would do, Peter rejected knowing Jesus three times when it came to saving his own life. Stranger yet is the fact that Jesus told him beforehand what he would do.  Peter of course denied that he would ever do such a thing. Nevertheless, he did. Matthew wrote in Matthew 26:75, [Luke in Luke 22:62] that when Peter realized that the trait of self-preservation was stronger IN HIM than his love for Jesus, he went out and wept bitterly. 

It is a bitter pill to swallow when the word of God confronts us with our weaknesses. But, the great thing about God is that He also uses His word to comfort us to let us know how much He loves us. And, that He is ever ready to help us turn our lives around and change, i.e. repent, which means to think different. And, when we think different, we act different.

When the Holy Spirit of God revealed the answer, the peace that Jesus promised in John 14:27 settled my frustrated spirit. He also reminded me that this person/s need our prayers of faith because the trait of self-preservation comes from only one source. And, the intent of that source is to kill, steal, and destroy.

Nothing can be done for the young man who died. But, just as with Apostle Peter, if this person is a true Christian believer, they can repent and God will forgive them.  If they are not a Christian believer, this is the opportunity to give their life to Jesus and experience an inward peace that surpasses all understanding.

Jesus said come to all who are heavy burdened [with this life], Matthew 11: 28. This is a promise that is unchanged.