Pastor on Sunday was talking about Peace being an umpire over our hearts. An umpire or referee in a ball game is there to keep track of the rules being broken. He's there to watch the game and make sure none of the players make an illegal move.

For instance... if a player hits another player, or moves the ball in an improper way... then the ref or ump will blow the whistle and stop the game until things can be sorted out. (basically...)

So in our hearts... peace is to rule. Well how does that work? Cause... I don't always feel peaceful... ya know? Christ may bring peace with Him... but... not always do I feel at peace... most of the time... I feel like I'm anything BUT peaceful...

However... There was another scripture about letting the message of Christ dwell in us richly.

The word "dwell" means to make into a home. Not just to stay there... but to LIVE. if you live in a house... you use it. you decorate it. you clean it. If you're just visiting... you don't change anything. You don't move anything around, or paint the walls... if you stay in a hotel... you don't do the laundry or make the bed... most of the time anyway...

to DWELL means you're taking care of it. You're actually living in it.

When Christ DWELLS in us... and we DWELL in Him... we change... we decorate... we learn about Him and He about us.

And we start to understand His peace. Now His peace... doesn't necessarily mean that the world isn't crazy... just means that in the middle of all the crazy... we still know Who's in charge... and even though we still might be a little worried about the outcome (we're human after all...) we know at the end of the day... everything's going to be ok.

Have you ever prayed about what you needed to do? what path you needed to take? Coulda been anything... a job... a spouse... a move to another place in the world... how about what car to buy? LOL been there... not gonna lie...

Have you ever been faced with a decision and just... not felt right about it? Something just seemed off... with that person, or with that job... or just... walked into a building of a possible job and just felt... off balance somehow?

When God's peace rules in our hearts... it helps us make decisions. It helps lead us into right things. When friends want to go party for the night... and that little thing in you just doesn't feel settled?

Or when you want to move but... it just doesn't seem to fit together? There just doesn't seem to be the right doors opening up... and... there's just something not letting you leave yet?

Or when you really want to get married... but... the person you're dating just doesn't fit quite right?

God's peace lets us know what to do and not do. When we're at peace... we are in the center of God's will...

Might still feel... scared. worried. a little apprehensive... but... we will KNOW that we are in the right. or wrong... as the case may be...

It's that little umpire in our hearts... telling us what rules to follow...

So if there is no peace... or you feel... too restless... maybe you need to review the play...