Peace in Obedience

I mentioned the other day that God wants our obedience more than He wants our self deprivation.  The more I thought about that the more I realized, it is in those times of obedience that we can truly have a peace that passes understanding. I think back over the last 9 years that I have been married. It is in the times that I was obedient to what God had asked of me that I found myself having a peace that under any other circumstance I wouldn't necessarily have had.

However, the adverse is also true. 

Has there ever been a time in your life where it seemed as though peace was no where to be found, even when things were going good?  I wonder if sometimes the lack of peace comes from a conflict between what we want to do (what may seem easy or not important to God) and what God wants from us.  Perhaps many of the times in our lives when there really isn't peace in hearts are times in which we are truly choosing to either be disobedient to what God has asked from us or we are living in a lack of faith.

It amazes me sometimes at how a simple act of obedience can effect one's ability to connect with God and leave in peace.  For me, sometimes I don't even fully understand that I have loss that peace until I begin to regain it. I can go periods of time trying to figure out what is missing and then when I finally reach that place of peace, I can begin to understand what it was that was missing and can begin to look back at where I missed the mark.

As I think about how all of this plays out in my life, I can't help but see where God had His hand in all that goes on in my life.  I certainly believe that He allows me to have free will and that I make my own choices, but the perfecting timing of events in my life, show me at least, that God has His hands on our lives and works to allow us opportunities to grow and to deepen our relationship with Him.