More From Teresa Todt

This world can often be a scary place.  The daily news and what’s going on around us is enough to evoke fear, but our personal lives can also be turned upside down by a dismal medical diagnosis, an unwanted divorce, the death of a loved one, and the list goes on.  How can we defeat the fears that seem to consume us and rob us of our peace? As my devotion reflects, I found the answer to that question when I was diagnosed with cancer.

Turning to God and to scripture saved my life and has saved me every day since that time.  Leaning into God, reading scripture, and trusting him with my whole heart changed my outlook and gave me hope when I had none.  God’s word tells us in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (NIV).  Before my diagnosis, perfect peace was something I read about in the Bible but had never experienced.  The difference, I learned, is wholly trusting in God’s strength and his plan rather than our own.

Being eight years cancer free is a gift I thank God for every day.  However, my future peace is not determined by what goes on around me, by my aging body, or even by my health, but rather by God’s goodness in supplying all my needs, including peace through life’s storms.