It has become increasingly clear that many people don’t like talking about the issues I blog about and would rather be optimistic about the future or ignore this stuff altogether. I can understand this as this information can lead to a sense of hopelessness or of being overwhelmed so I decided I would write about peace.
I believe the things on this blog are true but I am still at peace. I am at peace because I know that God is in control and that none of this takes him by surprise. He is my rock and my salvation.
May the following verses bring you comfort:
Job 22:21 – Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you.
Galatians 5:22,23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow and that is okay. I believe we need to learn to be at peace even with the knowledge that a storm is on the horizon. The only way to have true inner peace is to put your faith in Jesus Christ.
About being thankful
In addition to being at peace I think that we need to learn to be more thankful for the types of things we take for granted. I am not naturally thankful so this post is also directed towards myself.
With all I believe is to come I am starting to thank God for the basics. I thank God that my family was well fed today. That we were warm in our home and that God hears my prayers.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
November 26th, 2008 at 3:14 am
Thank you for talking about peace and a heart of gratitude during this Thanksgiving week.
I just wanted to let you know of a thoughtful comment. In addition to being thankful for the basics that God has given us, we can also be thankful for who God is. Despite our circumstances, we can be Thankful that He rules over all, that He hasn’t forgot about you and loves you for who you are. He has created you and loves being in a relationship with you. Thankfulness is not dependent on our circumstances, but rather a choice we make, to look at the good things God has given us.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
November 26th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I have slowly learned through a fairly long life that what happens to us is often composed of little pieces of what we have been doing to achieve some unrelated goal. Much of my life has not been peaceful to me.
I have been a very faithful person in a Christian way, and I think people who know me would say I have done a lot of good for others. Nonetheless, despite my claim that I am faithful and good, as an example of what might be interpreted by some as my reward, I have been stabbed and shot twice and lost one of my children to suicide.
Nonetheless, I do feel gratitude, but some of you might understand that I am confused about it. To whom am I grateful, and why?
My faith in God is not shaken by what has happened to me, and there is a long story behind that. However, my understanding of what God is and what role that entity plays in my life has changed significantly.
I have a fundamental faith in human beings. I think they are basically good. But I don’t think God does much to interfere with the evil purposes of those who want to dominate and make some people afraid. I think even they believe they are doing good. It’s hard for people to go against their principles. But so many people seem to have beliefs and attitudes that go contrary to peace and respect.
Ignorance is only part of the problem though. Our basic reactivity and desire to either dominate or be dominated by others is the larger part of it I think.
I believe that politics currently feeds into the helplessness that causes reactivity because there is very little morality and integrity in it. Organized religion is the same as politics to me.
I think people must learn to focus on “being” in a respectful and introspectful way, and not “winning” some philosophical argument or being “right.”
Very few people seem to know how to do that, although most people know how to criticize the lack of it in others. I put myself in that group, but I hope I am open, and learning and getting less reactive and more respectful.
November 26th, 2008 at 10:08 am
you shouldn’t be discouraged to publish the truth,
the Bible says that ‘all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet’, ‘see that you be not troubled’…..we know the Happy Ending…the sooner it gets worse the sooner the Happy Ending will come!