Via TJC
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
2 Thessalonians 3:16
When my wife and I first had our son, I learned that she is not able to relax when a baby is crying. She gets restless and cannot focus on any task. I would say, “Why can’t you just ignore him? He is fed and changed and is learning to calm himself down” but nothing helped. She could not help that the crying disturbed her peace. I, knowing that he was fine, would let the noise wash over me and maintain my peace. His crying was grating and obnoxious but I knew he was safe and eventually he calmed down. That was the start of my training for peace as a parent.
As the boys grow, peace is still a very important fruit because there are so many things I encounter each day that I could worry and fret over, from tripping over inanimate objects and stepping on Legos, to the kids not wanting to eat any food that I have prepared and then arguing all the way to bed. If I could not call upon God’s peace through prayer through these trials, I would not be able to function and probably lash out at everyone around me continuously.
I recognize that humans are not born peaceful, we are born rowdy, rabble rousing adventurers and we must learn how to relax and exist in silence, alone with our thoughts and God. We can either learn when life is slow or when life gets so fast that the feeling of being overwhelmed sends us in search of peace. The goal as I see it is to be able to be peaceful in the middle of a raging storm, knowing God is with you.
Daily Battle Order:
Today, take stock of your current level of peace. Is anything disturbing your peace? Is it something you have control over? If yes, get to work! If not, give it up to God and move on with your day. Try to be aware of your peace today and respond to everyone around you in ways that keep you calm and composed.
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