Devotionals by Dr. Holly Brand... Check back frequently for more "devotionals" from Holly as she continues to share God's principles and applications in her life. God Talk

“Peace Out of this World ”

As I survey the broken and splintered glass that litters my basement floor from what was once the sliding glass door, my sense of peace and security is shattered as well. The feeling of violation weighs heavily, but not as much as the sickening fear.

Ten days ago, after returning from an overnight visit to my parents while Todd was fishing in the beautiful mountains of Montana, Tanner and Walker and I discovered late at night that our house had been burglarized.

Standing in my disheveled kitchen at 2:00 a.m. being fingerprinted by a member of the Crime Scene Investigation Unit is a surreal experience. My roller-coaster emotions have run the gamut in a few short hours. Indignation fills me at the boldness and callous disregard of the thief; anger floods my mind at the realization that my mother’s 1954 class ring is gone along with almost every piece of jewelry that I own; disgust nauseates me as I notice that the thief went through my lingerie drawer; my “don’t you dare mess with my children” mothering instinct ignites when I see displaced items in my 2-year-old’s bedroom; weariness creeps in as I think of the depth of cleaning and repairs required to return our home to normal, along with the aggravation of filing insurance claims; but did I mention above all, the gripping sensation of fear?

I can’t sleep. Every household thump and creak startles me out of my shallow and fitful slumber and my weary mind creates images of intruders in the shadows that are simply not there. I become covered with sweat and adrenaline courses through my veins. Five nights have come and gone since the break-in and I have hardly slept during any of them. How in the world will I ever get past this fear? Ding ding ding—I’m asking the wrong question. I can’t get over my fear by myself and there is nothing in this world that will help. I regularly tell other people that the answer to every question and problem that they will ever have is found between the covers of God’s Word. With determination I make the decision to meditate on God’s Scripture until my flesh finally subordinates itself to my spirit.

“I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). This is the verse that the Holy Spirit brings to mind the moment fear begins to emerge. God is abundantly clear—He and He alone is the source of my safety. It is not found in my able-bodied husband sleeping next to me, or in a gun, or in a security system, or in a guard dog named Bruiser or Killer (we don’t really have a guard dog named Bruiser or Killer)!

On nights six through ten, I have slept well. Jesus said I would have trouble in this world (John 16:33). Yep, He was right. But in the same moment He said that He is my peace because He has overcome the world. I have the peace that transcends all understanding and the joy that no man can take away. God says so. So there.