Saturday, July 6, 2019

Elusive Peace

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”...Colossians 3:15

The last few years have been some of the most unsettled and uncertain times I can remember in a very long time, well, except for when my teenage boys were driving!  And yet, there has been such peace. As the days roll into years that have been chocked full of change, at a time in our lives I thought things would be settling down, things are topsy-turvey again.  

Yes, again.  We’ve been here before.  Waiting on the Lord and wondering what next.  The wonderful thing in the middle of it all is that sweet peace, that calm and confidence in Jesus that “passes all understanding”.  I haven’t always been like this. One word that was once used to describe me (especially by my family) was ‘spastic’. And what exactly does that mean you might ask?  Well, in my neck of the woods, it was having some kind of emotional spasm, or what some today might commonly call ‘a melt-down’. Any major catastrophe, or minor one really, could send my emotions into overload.  The only thing I could never bring myself to do was break something. I might want to, but I knew that was taking it too far. But cry a river? Yes. Scream and yell? Yes, I could talk rather loud and excitedly. Worry and fret over something I could not change?  God had a work to do when I realized He wanted to have control over my emotions rather than me allowing my emotions to control me! He wanted me to have His peace.  

A situation like we have been dealing with now, years ago could have left me in a worried frenzy most days. Don’t get me wrong.  There are still occasional tears, and I’m not constantly jumping up and down for joy. But there IS joy, and that peace I spoke of earlier.  It has made all the difference between then and now.  

Experiencing God’s peace is SO much greater than experiencing the anguish of anxiety.  Peace is available with Christ, but it can seem elusive. Living IN CHRIST makes living in peace possible.  It takes a surrender of your will to His, maybe moment by moment until the calm and confidence comes. It means you are aware that Christ is holding you, with you always, praying for you, working all things for your good, comforting your tired and troubled heart.  When the heart is truly and fully confident in the goodness and greatness of God and resting in His Word and Way peace can reign. The emotions are checked and conquered in the certainty of God’s great love for me, especially when there is fear and uncertainty.   

Oh the questions and doubts that can surface in the fight for peace: Am I a loved and valued child of God?  Is God really concerned and aware of what I’m going through? If so, why isn’t He listening to me? Why doesn’t something give?  Be reminded here---peace is not the absence of chaos, conflict, pain and suffering, or violent, dark storms. Peace, the peace of Christ, is the beautiful sustaining strength and serenity in spite of it. It is not elusive. I just have to be willing to relinquish control to Him for it to be realized.  I can’t fret, can’t fix it, can’t fume or fuss...I must give in and give up. Surrender it, whatever IT may be, to Jesus. When what I want and what He chooses for me don’t line up, when my timing is not His timing, when the future is uncertain and the fears try to crowd in, when there are more questions than there are answers, when the needs are pressing and the provisions seem delayed, when the hurt is deep and the healing is long and painful...the true “Ruler”in my heart will present itself.  Is it the peace of Christ? Or is it me?

 For all life’s ups and downs?  I can do without the emotional roller coaster ride. I now prefer the “lazy river” ride myself.  

Peace, like a river.  


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