Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Psalm 131:2 NLT
In a noisy world, one of the greatest challenges we face is finding space for ourselves, away from the demands that stalk our every waking moment. The pressures of daily living are intense. Reviewing the many prayer requests that cross my desk reveals the intense strain that finding regular employment, affordable housing and managing ongoing health conditions places on us. It is incredibly difficult to take each day at a time, when anxieties about the future encircle us. We are easily robbed of any sense of peace.
There have been periods when I have been unable to sleep. Awake, I’ve battled the most terrifying thoughts. While the dawn often brings a welcome measure of balance, I can’t completely shake off the spell cast by such extreme anxiety.
Yet I have discovered, amid many disappointments, and with my fears encamped around me, that I can enjoy God’s peace. It is my responsibility to seek this inner sense of God’s presence. The logical impossibilities of my circumstances demand that I set rationality to one side and search for the presence of the living God. If I can find that space, then I am assured that I shall continue in my pursuit of God regardless of where I perceive myself to be in life.
The baby knows the warmth of its mother’s love and rests comfortably within its mother’s embrace. So we are to feed on God and draw complete confidence that his promises are true and endure. I turn my gaze away from the trouble that assaults me towards my God who sustains and protects me. Life is not easy, and we have choices to make. Turn your eyes away from the immediate challenges that threaten to overwhelm you, and search for God’s constant, consistent gaze. Here alone have I found peace, and you might too.
QUESTION
Can you find a place where you can be at peace?
PRAYER
May I find shelter and contentment in you, Lord.
Photo – The West LIght, Rathlin Island
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