Peace. One of the definitions I came across for this word said, “Peace refers to a state of freedom from war and violence. It encompasses the ability for individuals and communities to coexist without conflict or disagreements. Additionally, peace can signify a sense of calm or tranquility in various contexts.” Awwwwww, peace. For some reason, when I look at our world today…this word, along with this definition…does NOT come to mind!
Have you ever heard the expression, the “tyranny of the urgent”? It came from a little booklet written in 1967 by Charles Hummel and it quickly became a classic. He argued that we often have a choice between things which are urgent and things that are important – and far too often, the urgent wins. In other words, we often spend our days doing whatever is yelling at us the loudest, even if those things aren’t what are most important. We run ourselves ragged day after day with our stomachs tied in knots, just trying to silence the noise.
As a result, we often end our day frustrated, exhausted and discouraged. Our nerves are on edge and we lash out at those whom we love the most. And peace? Well, unfortunately many haven’t felt peace in a very long time or even thought it was possible, because most people around us are absorbed in the same rat race which we are experiencing.
Flip on the news and it takes just about a nanosecond to be reminded of the chaotic world in which we live. People going every which way, fighting over just about everything and with the election looming…fighting over who should be elected and basically just trying to scream louder than the next person.
I’ve shared before about a book entitled, Calming The Storm Within: How to Find Peace In This Chaotic World by Jim Lange. Mr. Lange caught my attention when he stated, “Chaos is a part of life that cannot be avoided. We need to actually embrace the chaos because God allows it for our own good.” He followed it with this prayer, “Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me so much that You would allow chaos and trouble in my life. You know what I need and You know that staying in my comfort zone is not good for me. Help me to remember this the next time I face chaos and to be thankful in the midst of the storm. Help me to see it from Your vantage point so that I can choose peace in the midst of it and I can be looking for You during the turmoil. Amen.”
Did you catch what it said in this prayer? This prayer asks our Lord to help us see the chaos from His vantage point so that we can choose peace. Whether our schedule is way over-packed or fairly empty…whether everyone around us is screaming or everyone is silent because we are all alone…we can choose to have peace.
In the next few weeks, I plan to share with you some of the highlights which I ascertained from this book. I know I have a lot to learn about this and hopefully what I share will also be of help to you.
As we begin a new week, let’s pray for the Lord to help us see the chaos around us from His vantage point so that we can begin to choose peace. Remember, the world is watching us to see how we react to life’s pressures and maybe, just maybe, if they see us choosing peace, they will want to hear about our Jesus!
“And let the peace that comes from Christ
rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are
called to live in peace.
And always be thankful.”
Colossians 3:15
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