Tuesday’s Peace . . .
Seeking and Cherishing God’s Gift of Peace
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light . . . Matthew 11:28-30
Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote. “It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
Peace isn’t going to find you . . . you have to seek peace . . . be observant, use your senses, your heart, your prayers, and look for it . . . then cherish each moment of peace you find, because these memories and recollections provide a foundation of calm when the world is screaming in your ear, especially if they are moments provided by the Lord.
Once you find those moments the reach into your heart and soul, hold on to these precious gifts from God, and do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. Keep your focus on the one who came as a child to bring peace into this world and is still with you today.
Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times
and in every way. The Lord be with all of you . . . 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Thoughts for today & tomorrow . . .
“Easily accessible” peace . . . that peace available longer than a few vacation “escape” days . . . isn’t always easy to find or right at hand. So, we have to seek out ways to find the peace and calm that can help reset one’s mind and refresh one’s spirit.
Embracing or tapping into your senses can provide a way to seek and find peace when it seems out of reach. Watching, listening, tasting, touching, and smelling the gentle experiences around you can open up new means of calm, and bring to mind past encounters of understanding.
The peace of watching . . . watching a candle flame flicker, the wind rustling the leaves on a tree, the clouds moving across the sky, stars at night (even watching an airplane move across the sky at night can be calming, because you have slowed down to watch) . . . and then there are the twinkling Christmas lights, children playing, snowflakes falling . . . the list can go on and on, but the intent to is to focus—slow down and focus until the crazy around you fades into the background . . . for even a few moments.
The peace of listening . . . it takes pausing (preferably silencing the TV, radio, your phone) . . . eyes closed, slow down your breathing, then let your ears listen . . . hear life gently move around you . . . birds, trains, gentle rain at night, the wind blowing, a dog snoring, a cat purring, far off laughter, wind chimes tinkling . . . and quiet . . . just for a few moments . . . it can feel like Christ is sitting beside you and smiling .
The peace of tasting . . . everyone has varying taste buds . . . some tastes are pleasant and calming, while other tastes are disturbing . . . concentrate on tastes that calm you . . . fresh baked cookies, hot chocolate, fresh watermelon, ice cold water . . . just find what satisfies and calms you . . . just don’t over-indulge.
The peace of touching . . . the soft fur of a pet, sand between your fingers, for some it is working in a garden, others kneading dough, sewing, woodworking, building, creating . . . often the peace found when keeping your hands busy allows the mind to release nervous tension, hassles, and worries.
The peace of smelling . . . if you can’t find the real thing, remember . . . crisp cold mornings, baking breads or cookies, vanilla candles, freshly cut grass, a winter fire in the fireplace, warm coffee or cocoa, pine trees . . . smells like crayons and fresh laundry can bring back memories of simpler times and can help settle nerves.
You may laugh at any one of these . . . and that is good too because laughter can release pent up stress and emotions . . . but you also may find one or two or more keys to unlocking the inner peace we all so desperately seek during the Christmas season, and throughout the year.
Peace . . . walk outside the door or look out a window . . . take a deep cleansing breath . . . slowly exhale and relax your shoulders and allow your senses to take over.
And most important . . . you will prayerfully realize those moments of peace also allow precious time spent with God, because you can finally hear yourself and you can hear the Lord.
The Lord gives strength to His people;
the Lord blesses His people with peace . . . Psalm 29:11
Reflections of Peace . . .
You have to listen to your heart to find peace in your mind and soul. Thomas á Kempis wrote, “First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others.”
To find that inner peace, practicing forgiveness is also involved . . . not only of others, but also forgiving yourself of the things that crack and destroy your inner strength and calm.
Go back to your index card, journal, scrap of paper . . . write down what is coming to the surface of your mind right now
. . . remember, God is listening!
What peace are you seeking this season?
What do you need to let go of to find inner peace?
What do you need to cherish to enjoy God’s peace within?
**There is also a music link below for you to listen to today . . . to help you feel the peace of God’s arms around you.
Remember to pray . . .
For God is not the author of confusion but of peace . . . 1 Corinthians 14:33
There are many ways that help us let go of the stresses of the outside world, yet we often forget how to find peace in the craziness around us . . . and we forget to go to Christ for help. Listen to what God has to tell you today . . . stop for a moment and listen . . . Christ will comfort you if you let Him.
For every negative focus in your life, look for a positive re-focus . . . ask God’s help.
In this season of Advent, how can you re-align your focus on Christ to strengthen your relationship with God?
Sometimes we take the gifts of God for granted. Our lives lack gratitude, and it shows. This lack of gratitude can shield the Light of Christ and the healing peace He brings, not only from us but from others.
Remember . . . thank God for all things, great or small. Be a shining light in the dark. Listen to God’s Word & find strength and pray for the sense of peace to follow you everywhere.
Seeking & Cherishing God’s gift of Peace through the Kaleidoscope . . .
Spend a few moments of quiet time with the kaleidoscope or use the link below.
Though the jumble of pieces in the kaleidoscope may seem chaotic in the midst of the movement, if you focus on the beauty created, especially when the right light shines through, you can still find and keep the stillness and tranquility inside of you
The Lord replied, 'My Presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest.' . . . Exodus 33:14
Seek & Cherish God’s gift of The Light . . . Choose Peace!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EkHmzXthuM
