Finding Peace

Hello, dear sisters!!

My husband has, from time to time, asked me, "Is it painful in there?"  It is his humorous way of helping me realize that my mind is spinning pretty much out of control at the moment.  Being inside my head is often anything BUT peaceful, and the truth is, I yearn for peace. 

This is a crazy time of instant "connection" never known to mankind in the millennia past.  We are connected to every tragedy, every possible horrible expectation, every "what if" circumstance, every bad news story out there from across the globe.  No wonder we have no peace or at least very little of it.  We have all seen tragedy from all over the world played out in front of our eyes, many times as it is happening and in living, breathing color.  It is overwhelming.

If peace was just a feeling, we would have not one hope of finding it at all.  But there is one quote from Mary C. Wiley that I LOVE.  

In the beginning was peace.  Peace wasn't equated with stillness but with nearness to God.  God walked with His people in the garden in the cool of the day, and all was just as it was meant to be. 

"Peace wasn't equated with stillness but with nearness to God." Alrighty!  That changes EVERYTHING.  Jesus made it possible for us all to have nearness to God.  And that is EXACTLY what  I wrote in my book.  "Walk with God, Cherri, EVERYDAY!"

If peace is what we want, we have to spend more time connecting with God and less time connecting with those things that make us less peaceful.

I know a sweet lady who spent her first hours of everyday in the Word with God.  She did not have an easy life, but peace came to her through her connection constantly, day by day, to the One who loves to give peace.  As the years went by, she gradually got out of the habit and began watching the news for hours each day instead.  Anxiety and fear took over and made her miserable.  Here is the odd thing...she knows where peace comes from.  She has experienced it, but the draw of the screen is so strong, she will give all kinds of reasons why she does not reach for connection with God anymore.  It is heartbreaking to watch.

This is a lesson my friends, if we want to find peace, we have to spend time to be near God.  The nearer we are to Him, the more peace will invade our lives no matter what is going on in the world or even in the "painful" space of our own minds. 

When the angels sang, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!" they knew something no one understood at the time.  Peace had just come.  The bridge had just been built.  And it was through a brand new baby just born over the hill!  

We can find peace...the nearer we get to God, the more peace that becomes ours!

 Lean in, my sisters, to the warm embrace of a God who loves you and wants you to know His peace!

I am praying for God's nearness to you all throughout this busy season!

With Love!

Cherri