John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you: not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ” What a wonderful promise. How rarely I actually have peace in my heart. This year especially, I have struggled to have any at all. My mind just keeps rehashing all that is wrong, so how can I have peace? The world would have us think we have to be happy to have harmony and well-being. Everything needs to be just so in order for our hearts to have rest. But this passage reminded me that God’s peace isn’t like that. Despite what rages in our lives, regardless of circumstances, we can have peace . God’s promise of peace isn’t contingent on anything we do – it doesn’t hinge on the people in our lives being nice to us, or illness being kept at bay. It is there. Always. In the midst of trial, when we’re anguishing over difficult decisions, God’s overwhelming peace can bring wholeness and rest to our lives.
God
Vaccinations of life
Every time I take one of my kids in for their needed vaccinations I think of how quickly I revert to childlike behavior with God. Yesterday, as my son looked at me, pain in his eyes and sobs welling up in his little throat, I realized I mirror his reaction when dealing with hard things in life.
I whine and complain. Cry and carry on asking God “why?”. In my finite mind, it seems so without reason, unfair and unnecessary. In hindsight, the needle pricks of life really aren’t such a big deal. But in that moment of pain, it’s all consuming. When getting shots my kids don’t remember that every day I clothe and feed them – lavishing them with hugs, kisses and care. Just as I rapidly forget all the wonderful things God has done for me, focusing instead only on the apparent lack of concern He’s demonstrating just then. I’m sure my thoughts echo my children’s “If you really loved me, you wouldn’t be doing this.” Continue reading
Dissonant Symphony 