Finding Peace

This song has been speaking to my heart.  I literally sing it again and again in my head.

When I set out to write about the fruits of the spirit this year, I knew I wanted to focus on a different fruit each month. I wasn’t sure where my journey would take me, but God has paved the path. Every month He has provided the resources and given me the words. Sweet peace! What a wonderful gift from above!

Last month I received a new book of devotions called Arise to Peace (© Right to the Heart 2021). God knew my need, and He provided. (Philippians 4:19)

In this book author Cynthia Ruchti bases her devotional on Psalm 91:1 and speaks of searching for a word or phrase upon which to focus for the year. She arrives at her ultimate destination of peace by dwelling in the shadow of God. She discovers her focus in a roundabout way by considering what NOT to do:

            If I dwell in past hurts . . .

            If I dwell in resentment or bitterness . . .

            If I dwell on that unkind word my husband said . . .

            If I dwell on what I don’t and can’t have . . .

            If I dwell on the losses of the previous year . . .

            If I dwell on accomplishments rather than serving . . .

            If I dwell on what I know from childhood rather than continually growing in my faith . . .

            If I dwell on the chaos that rages in the world around me . . .

. . . then I am toast. I’m wrecked, broken, weighed down, encumbered, forgetful of God’s mercies, discontented, disappointed, stuck, misaligned, vulnerable, miserable, and missing it.

Do you see what she’s doing here? This lady has a way with words!

Ruchti goes on to reference Proverbs 1:33 and reminds us that our obedience to God is where we find security and ultimate peace. She says, “It’s His invitation, His welcome mat, but it’s my choice where I dwell. If peace is what I crave, could the decision be any more obvious?”

This past year we have experienced one devastating crisis after another: an ongoing pandemic, political and civic unrest, economic uncertainty, mass shootings, a disconnection within our church communities and schools, etc. If we dwell on these crises, “We are toast,” as Ruchti says. We can only find that sweet peace, that wonderful peace if we put our trust in Him.

Think back to a time you’ve spent relaxing on a beach. Haven’t you found peace as you’ve connected with the beauty of God’s creations? As you’ve watched the tide roll in and out, your body has become synchronized with God’s rhythm, and not the chaotic pace of everyday life. To be in sync with God is to find peace.

In Facing the Dawn, another book worth savoring by Cynthia Ruchti, the main character and her family have endured a series of devastating events. Later, she and a childhood friend seek solace and serenity at the beach.

As they lean back to watch the sunset, the friend says, “I think we’re being treated to wonder all the time. We’re not always observant of it, though. I want to live noticing the speckles in the orchid’s throat, the cardinal in the branches of the birch tree in my backyard . . . , the hint of lime in the mango sorbet . . . , and receive it all as an expression of God’s artistry and his love for us.”

This is one way of finding peace: simply being more observant and receptive of God’s wonders and His love. We are constantly surrounded by God’s gifts, but we often fail to notice.

At the end of Facing the Dawn, the main character has submitted herself to these gifts:

Peace had washed over her like a tidal wave when she’d surrender-knelt by the water. Now, peace settled like honey flowing over buttered [not burnt] toast. Hard doesn’t mean unsurvivable. Mistakes don’t automatically dictate a future. And regrets have an antidote. God’s love and peace.

Now, today, is the time to model God’s gifts and share these fruits of the spirit with our children. With our fast-paced lives and our current struggles to keep apace, we may fail to notice the needs in our children to find peace as well. In the book God’s Fruit in Me (© 2018 STEP ONE Publishing), children can read first-person examples of God’s gifts.

God’s fruit in me

Is what you will see.

I will do the right things

Even if no one sees me.

But when I forget to be

As good as I can be

I know that God

Will always love me.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” –Matthew 5:9

Teaching our children today the importance of Galatians 5:22-23 gives us hope that the world can become a better place.

In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “Be the peace you wish to see in the world.”

Throughout history many devout Christians have carried and passed the torch for peace. Martin Luther King, Jr., was one such peacemaker.

I recently attended the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference where I met Alice Faye Duncan, author of Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop. I believe God placed this lady in my path as another resource for this blog.

Dr. King practiced peaceful protests. In her book Alice Faye Duncan says, “He was a champion for social change who marched for racial equality across Mississippi, Alabama, and Washington, DC. It was his persistent demand for justice that inspired President Lyndon B. Johnson to help abolish segregation and sign the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

Martin Luther King, Jr., was filled with the fruits of the spirit. He was a champion for peace, and his legacy lives on.

How do we find peace? We accept the Prince of Peace into our hearts. We follow His Word. We rely on Him.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”—John 14:27

Numbers 6:24-26; Philippians 4:6-7; James 3:18

“First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others.” –Thomas à Kempis