Calmness – having an inner peace based on the sovereignty of God which allows you to respond rationally and patiently to a stressful situation without fear or anger.

Calmness is a state of being.  It can be surrounded by stressful situations that rage and roar but because its borders are guarded by the sovereignty of God, peace prevails.

However, God honors our free will and allows us to leave this wonderful state anytime we want.

Its boundaries are marked off clearly.  The moment you try to be in control (instead of trusting in God) or the moment you start trying to “fix people/circumstances” (instead of allowing God to change them) is the moment you leave the state of calmness and move into the wilderness of frustration, fear, and worry.

Be sure you understand, either you are in control or God is in control, it can’t be both.

• You being in control = rebellion against God that produces fear, frustration, and worry
• God being in control = obedience to God that produces calmness, peace, and patience

The ONE THING for today: Focus on God–not your circumstances.  Do you best, obey God, and leave the results to Him.

Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.