PEACE [Advent Day 3]

PEACE.

I crave it. Not want or simply need…crave, must have.

It hasn’t always been so.

Years ago, a dear friend – in an effort to be helpful – told me most days I was like a thundercloud. Ready to rain and storm at any moment. People who know me today might not believe that is true.

Thank God those days are past. Truly. He is the One who facilitated that change.

Life has been challenging lately. Financial challenges, a serious accident, a couple deaths in my family…life stuff.

Your life is challenging too, isn’t it?

Many days – like today – I feel like my feet are running non-stop on very shaky ground. And my heart is right with them.

You feel like that sometimes, don’t you?

My To-Do list is endless. Tasks get pushed from one day to the next. I am working on a book that is not coming along as quickly as I envisioned.

That’s life. It happens.

But on days when my heart is not at PEACE, I allow the voice that says I have failed. I allow myself to be guided completely by emotion – mine and other people’s – rather than remembering what I know to be true.

PEACE.

Sometimes we confuse the process of becoming a person of PEACE. We think it is something we should look for outside ourselves, bring into our lives.

In truth, PEACE is something we find inside when we banish negative emotions, egotism, Me-Me-Me attitudes...when we walk with the One who could bring PEACE to the wind and waves by holding up His Hand.

PEACE – the kind Jesus shares – is the only way for me to be stable, to be joyful, to make good decisions.

PEACE in my heart is what moves my feet forward, allows me to laugh, helps me focus on all I want and need to accomplish.

PEACE is necessary if I want to share the Light.

PEACE is what I crave.

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word.  

You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!