🛡️ DAY 3: THE SHOES OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
How You Stay Steady When Life Is Loud Scripture: “And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” — Ephesians 6:15 Shoes don’t protect your head. They don’t guard your heart. They determine how you move. In Roman armor, shoes had spikes on the bottom. Why? So the soldier could stand firm, advance forward, and not slip when the ground was rough. Spiritually, peace does the same thing. WHAT THE SHOES OF PEACE ACTUALLY PROTECT The shoes of peace protect your stability. Without peace: • You react instead of respond • You feel constantly unsettled • You’re easily triggered • You feel rushed, anxious, and defensive • Your parenting feels chaotic and inconsistent Peace is not calm circumstances. Peace is steady footing when circumstances aren’t calm. 📖 “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds…” — Philippians 4:7 Peace guards your movement — how you walk through conflict, correction, chaos, and pressure. WHAT PEACE IS (AND IS NOT) Peace is not: • Avoiding hard conversations • Ignoring problems • Suppressing emotions • Being passive or quiet Biblical peace is: • Confidence in God’s presence • Stability under pressure • Calm authority, not emotional numbness • Forward movement without panic Jesus didn’t promise peace because life would be easy. He promised peace because life would be hard. 📖 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart — I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 HOW YOU KNOW YOU’RE NOT WEARING THE SHOES You’re barefoot spiritually when: • Every inconvenience feels overwhelming • You snap quickly • You dread conflict • You feel constantly on edge • You avoid situations instead of addressing them • Your home feels emotionally tense That’s not because you’re failing. That’s because peace hasn’t been fastened to your walk. Bare feet = unstable steps. HOW TO PUT ON THE SHOES OF PEACE (PRACTICAL) Peace is something you prepare for, not something you hope shows up.