Peace - Part 1
Desiring peace in this world
Is it possible to have internal peace when everything around us is in turmoil? We cannot deny that the world is in turmoil, and often our own personal world can be in turmoil as well. While we are all different, we look to people or circumstances to give us peace. The lasting peace we are looking for as humans is not going to be in this world—in anything we do or any person here on earth or even any amount of material possessions that we accumulate. We can create an internal feeling of peace in certain environments (like nature/ ocean waves) or through meditation, but this feeling is temporary and can change as we encounter another person or circumstance that upsets our peaceful feelings. This external peace is from external things—people and circumstances—whereas to find lasting peace internally, it must come from the inside out.
Many choose to escape stress in a variety of ways. Too often people create a world that is not real, numbing with things such as drugs, alcohol, or turning to a fantasy world with pornography, media, unhealthy relationships, etc., which is only temporary and leads to more problems. Even legitimate ways to deal with anxiety can help, but are only meant to be a temporary way to help us navigate internal ways to respond to stress of circumstances. For example, medication helps treats symptoms temporarily (levels off highs and lows), but we still must reframe our process of using coping mechanisms to navigate life.
If you picture a tree, above ground are the limbs and leaves which are an illustration of the exterior things in our lives such work, relationships, and activities. But if we look to the roots of a tree, what is unseen or underneath, we see where real sustenance and life comes to nourish the rest of the tree for life. This picture shows how important the unseen internal thinking and belief system is to sustain us.
I have found that the belief system of our faith is essential. All of us have learned different “pictures of God,” some untrue and some true based on our relationships, influences and circumstances. If we are growing peace from the inside out we must evaluate how we see God and what it means to have an intimate relationship with Him.
If you find yourself wanting to know more about God’s peace, I will be posting Part 2 “Our concept of a relationship with God,” and Part 3 “How to appropriate the truths of peace through experiencing God.” If this is something you would like to process personally, please set up a time to talk or meet in person – my cell phone is 404-630-9719.