Peace is foundIn the hidden forest glen
In the secret garden path
In the soft summer breeze
In the salty ocean breath
I wish…
The poets, alas, even the poet in me, would have us believe that peace is hidden in beauty and stillness, that peace must be searched out in solitude and nature. My heart longs to latch onto this truth, to pursue beauty and peace everyday. My mind longs to hide from the pain and hurt of the world in still and beautiful places.
But in truth, beauty and stillness alone cannot bring peace.
“…those who plan peace have joy.”
Proverbs 12:20b
Plan? Peace must be planned?
My heart defies this thought instantly.
But isn’t peace something that is found?
My heart argues.
But isn’t peace something like love?
The poets say that it lurks in little moments waiting to grab the unsuspecting soul?
Yet I know that my heart “is deceitfully wicked, above all else.”
And I know that true peace is only found in the arms of my Savior.
So how…so what does this planning for peace look like?
It looks like an alarm set to get up and run first thing in the morning, a sermon playing through my headphones as my feet pound the pavement.
It looks like worship music playing over pandora while I choose my outfit, shower, drink my morning smoothie, blow dry my bangs, and apply my makeup.
It looks like leaving the laptop shut while I sit down with my bible, a leather journal, and one of my faded, blue mechanical pencils in order to be still at the feet of my Savior and allow His peace to fill me.
It looks like meditating on His Word while scrubbing the stained toilet and drying last nights dishes and flipping tortillas in the black cast iron skillet for lunch.
It looks like casting my stresses and worries ever at His feet in silent prayer as I listen to my husband tell me about the worries at his job or at the church.
It looks like constantly choosing to see the quiet and still and beautiful moments and then to give thanks for them, because they are a gift.
It looks like daily asking myself how much this all matters in light of eternity and then living out of the answer to that question.
It looks like breathing in and out the stresses and the joys in prayer every moment, every breath, of the day.
And most of all, it looks like accepting the grace I have already been given when I so often fail to plan and execute the plan for peace. Because in the grace is the true peace found…not in grace from myself or from other…but in the grace from God.
This is beauty and stillness of the soul. No matter the chaos around me, this is peace. This is the plan.
Sisters, will you plan with me? Will you plan for peace?
Be blessed
<3
