Be at Peace

Far too often, life seems to get away from us. We get so busy that we lose track of ourselves among all the other selves who surround us. We become part of the herd of humanity, swept along by the currents of activity and responsibility until it seems that we only exist as part of the larger crowd which constitutes our sphere of interaction. We are also bombarded by noise and various other stimuli which demand our attention until our conscious thought reverberates, as it were, only with the external input we receive. Some people are able to process all of this activity and continue to maintain their equilibrium. Others, like me, require space and time to debrief ourselves from the ubiquitous din of suburban living. I definitely have trouble finding peace when there is so much making noise around me.

I also feel that God whispers to us through the quiet moments. When we allow our lives to fill up with external distractions they drown out God … and we were built to hear Him. We were also built for rest, and many of us ignore that part of our design as well. However, when I get outdoors or get away everything seems to come back into alignment. Peace, quiet, and especially nature calm my heart and help to retune my spirit. I often don’t remember this until after I have gotten away, but it would be so much healthier if I would seek out the peace I require without waiting for my busy life to wear me down. My hope and prayer for you today is that you may discover whatever quiet place or time in your own life that you need to find peace.

Be At Peace
Down by the quiet waters
With life safely at my back
I wander paths of solitude
In search of the one thing I lack
It was peace which had eluded me
Whatever blessings I had known
And such was heavy on my heart
As I wandered there alone
When suddenly, I came up short
As if I’d struck a wall
Having heard an unfamiliar sound
The sound of nothing at all
Something deep within me trembled
Spreading from my trunk to limbs
As the silence ebbed within me
It was then that I heard Him
The still, small voice which whispered
Like silent thunder to my heart
Pouring over me as warm cascades
And gently soaking every part
For once, the voices of the many
Were drowned out by the only One
And He whispered, in that moment
Be at peace, at last, my son
By Frank Carpenter ©