Tag Archives: Peace

Transcendent Peace – Part 1

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Recently, as I listened to a worship song, I envisioned Jesus extending His hand over my heart and whispering, “Peace, be still.” A quiet stillness settled over me, and I wondered if He was preparing me for a storm.

A week later and about a month ago, a dramatic event brought my life to a screeching halt. I have lived at a rather fast pace both internally and externally, and it was like hitting a wall going 60 mph. Time to regroup, rethink and recalibrate my life.

As I was preparing to leave ICU and head home, I was given a long list of meds and instructions and told, as simply a matter of fact, that I have heart disease. It’s a startling thing to hear especially being a runner and fairly fit. Apparently, stress can do quite a number on your heart. As a result, I’ve done a lot of resting and listening.

God is so patient and faithful. Over the past month, He has triangulated three different points in Scripture to lead me into the next leg of my journey. He took me first to John 14:27.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples the night He was betrayed and before He was arrested. He knew He was facing a brutal flogging and horrific crucifixion the next day but emanated peace. True peace is supernatural and transcendent surpassing anything the world can give and any circumstance. It permeates His divine being and is the very essence of His nature.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled….” To be troubled is to be inwardly restless like a roiling sea, anxious and stirred up. I don’t have to figure out how to not let my heart be troubled. I possess the very life of Jesus and His Spirit lives in me, so I already possess His peace. The question is how to seize it and experience it. It is no secret that the answer is rooted in trust (Isaiah 26:3), but more on that in the next post.

P.S. I’m doing well and slowly recovering.

Song of the Soul

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It feels as though a microbe has taken us all hostage. In this confinement, I can either attempt to escape, complain about isolation, cower in the corner or sing in my cell.

The current medical and economic catastrophe attempts to pull me into a tumultuous landscape of fear and worry. When I follow that path, my soul vibrates dissonantly with the struggle and strain of being out of sync with Christ and in a place I was redeemed from.

So, I take a breath (in my own private isolated space) and set my self in trusting quietness before the Lord. I listen and wait until my soul syncs with the deep vibrations emanating from the heart of God. In time, my spirit sings in unison with His Spirit and resonates with the sweetness of His peace.

I love quiet waters. I’ve been drawn to them as long as I can remember. I especially love the effect of translucent water against the solidity of rocks. There’s a peaceful calm and unchanging strength in those places. The veil between the seen and unseen is thin there, and I’m touched with a strong sense of the presence of God.

In April, I went to one of my most frequented places on the S. Santiam River to take a photo for a painting. I thought it was high time that I learned to paint these special places. I hope it breathes a quiet melody into your soul.

He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. Psalm 23:2-3

There are still waters running through the spiritual landscape of our souls. The Shepherd treads there calling us to Himself. His voice is ever on the breeze. As we sit with Him, we sync with the rhythm and flow of His Spirit, even when surrounded by catastrophes and hardships. In the stillness, He refreshes and repairs our fragmented souls.

So, take a breath and set yourself in trusting quietness before the Lord. For in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15). In time, your soul will resonate with His peace. Peace is always within reach. In great trial, it reaches for you.