Welcome to the 'new normal' seems to a saying we all say these days. The world is chaotic and most of feel chaotic. During this proverbial shit show of the pandemic world wide, self care and cultivating inner peace are necessary. Turmoil is all around us and our constantly changing protocols for existence only adds to this. There is an absence of personal, family, and relationship peace/connection along with local, national, and international peace. By many researchers' calculations, in the last 3,500 years, there has been less than 300 years that could actually be considered “peaceful.” Many historians have defined “peace” in the world as the ‘lull’ in the battle when everybody stops to reload. People talk about trying to find “peace and quiet,” or trying to “make peace.” Law enforcement tries to “keep the peace,” and global arbitrators trying to “establish peace.” We do all this until we finally “rest in peace”!
Humanity defines peace mostly in negative terms: to be without trouble—free from conflict, stress, hostility, fear, anxiety, depression, despair, and unrest. Peace for the world is just the absence of what troubles them—a kind of superficial, temporary respite from an otherwise troubled existence. So, people try many things—good and bad—to obtain peace: solitude, meditation, music, exercise, recreation, entertainment, shopping, friends, volunteering, church, and even alcohol, drugs and other forms of escapism. Many also try to manipulate or trick their minds into a peaceful state.Now, I’m not going to say there isn’t any value to some of the personal mind techniques, all the research about ‘peace psychology’, or recognizing someone trying to achieve peace, but I am going to make a bold statement that these will NEVER FIX our peace problem! The thing is, I posit peace is not an emotional, circumstantial, or a psychological issue—I believe it’s a SPIRITUAL BELIEF issue.
Peace WITH God paves the way for a believer to have an internal, experiential peace—a sense of goodness, contentment, tranquility, confidence, and well-being here on earth no matter what the circumstances are. The peace OF God. Now, this is not just a passive peace—one that gives you the strength to endure. It’s not some kind of benign reality—it’s much more than that. It’s a victorious, conquering peace! It’s a peace that not only protects you from anxiety, fear, doubt, and despair, but is a peace that triumphs over everything with courage, confidence, and contentment!
According to the Bible, Jesus’ sacrifice provides more than just eternal peace—it also allows for us to have peace in the here and now by having a relationship with the Holy Spirit—the 'Advocate' Jesus said God the Father would send to dwell in every believer. The Holy Spirit will take the peace of Jesus and disclose it to you. Spirit will help us live in ways we couldn’t possibly live on our own—by filling our lives with love, joy and peace [Galatians 5:22-23]. This peace is not what the world can provide. So, to be more peaceful, let go and let God!
Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.” I also have a magnet on my fridge that reads 'We make plans, God laughs". This reminds me to trust God even when things don’t make sense. Even when things are a constant shit show. Even when things become nothing but black. We need to trust that no matter what we are experiencing, it is meant for our spiritual growth and there is a bigger picture. It’s one sure way to enjoy your life, experience more peace than ever before, and someday you’ll look back and discover God had your best in mind all along!
An illustration might help to clarify this:
A train was traveling through the night in a very violent rainstorm. The lightning flashes were almost blinding, the rain hitting the windows was deafening and the strong gusts of wind rocked the train from side to side. When the lightening flashed and lighted up the darkness, the passengers could see the rising water along the tracks. This created terror in the minds of the passengers, yet several of them noted through all the noise, lightening and wind, one of the passengers, a little girl, seemed to be at perfect peace. The adult passengers couldn’t figure out why the little girl was so calm during all this excitement. Finally, one passenger asked her, “How is that you can be so calm when all the rest of us are so worried about what might or could happen?” The little girl smiled and said, “My father is the engineer.” She wasn’t anxious, worried, or fearful. She had a peace that couldn’t be shaken. Why? Because she knew her father and she knew he was in control—and so it is for believers who know their Father in Heaven has it all under control!
Those of you who know me well know my life verses are “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” [Philippians 4:13] and “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” [Proverbs 3:5-6]. As was said previously, trust in God is a component in peace, and these verses also emphasize our need to remind ourselves God is in charge and will take care of obstacles when we come to them…..if we’ll do our part….by giving Him the ‘wheel’ (cue song: Jesus Take the Wheel). When we do this, the impossible can become possible!
Now, this doesn’t mean things will always turn out the way we want them to, and we won’t get everything we want. You will find God takes care of the barriers when you take our hands off of them—and He often does it in the most surprising of ways. As you walk your spiritual path, you will experience situations that simply will defy explanation. When you look back, after the fact, you realize that you could not have figured out a better plan! At the time it seemed strange, frustrating, and mysterious, even illogical....but, that’s just God working on the situation. Things will happen that seem totally contradictory, but these are God’s arrangements. God will HONOR YOUR TRUST and will give you an inner quietness, security, and a confidence beyond anything we could ever understand…… you will be enveloped in peace!
No God, No Peace. Know God, Know Peace. Do your yoga. Get quiet. Go inside. Inquire. Discover.
Onward and upward!
