Friday, October 4, 2013

Rivers of Peace


 
In a world torn by conflicts and war, people seek peace.  They question why war exists; hasn’t God has promised peace?  When you listen to the news, it seems peace doesn’t exist.  Even in our homes, it can be elusive.  Couples bicker and divorce, siblings argue and fight.  The book of Isaiah sheds light on peace:  “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river” (48:18a NIV).  One prerequisite to peace is obeying God’s commands.  But what about peace…like a river?  To fully appreciate this concept of peace like a river, imagine a great river running through the land.

The broad river, a constant presence, flows despite obstacles.  Sometimes the river runs smoothly; at other times it runs headlong into a snag, separating and diverting its water to other paths.  The water flows peacefully on, until downstream it smashes full force against the rocks, shattering spray high in the air.  Flowing to the top of a sharp drop-off, the water rushes forward, falling… falling…rushing over the edge, churning and boiling at the bottom.  After a time the waters collect in a still pool, resting, reveling in the quiet. 

During my mother’s last years, her mind ravaged by dementia, my river of peace constantly ran against snags of her lost memory.  My peace plummeted over the precipice of countless hours watching her mind rapidly losing rational thought and memory.  Constantly swirling and eddying, the waters rushed me from work to my parents’ home to assist Dad in caring for her .  Emotional whirlpools threatened to spin out of control.  The only thing that kept my sanity during this difficult time was God’s peace.

You may ask how I can feel peace when my world was turned upside down.  In Galatians 5:22, we learn that peace is a fruit of the Spirit.  Only the spirit of God can give us peace in the midst of the snags, rocks, waterfalls, and whirlpools of life.  So how do we receive this peace?  We can’t buy it in a store; we can only receive it as a gift from God.  Once again, scripture aids us in our search for peace.  “You [God] will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV).  Our peace comes when we place complete trust in God and obey His commands (Isaiah 48:18). 

When our life’s circumstances shatter against the rocks, placing trust in God’s perfect will keeps us at peace despite trying circumstances.  Jesus tells us he leaves us peace, but “I do not give you [peace] as the world gives” (John 14:22 NIV).  The countries of the world may continue to fight, and we will still experience difficulties and tragedies.  But when we obey God’s commands and trust Him, no matter how difficult our circumstances, we experience His peace, flowing like a river deep within our souls.


 

10 comments:

  1. "When our life’s circumstances shatter against the rocks, placing trust in God’s perfect will keeps us at peace despite trying circumstances."

    Love that. His peace goes beyond our understanding.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa for your reply. We can never understand the depths of His peace, can we?

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  2. Oh, how devastating it must have been to watch your mother decline that way. I'm so sorry for you pain, Nancy.
    Thank God for His peace that held you close. Blessings.

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  3. Yes, Kelli, it was an extremely difficult time. Thank you so much for your sympathy. Mom passed in January of 06, so we have had ample time for healing. I thank God for helping us through that time. Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. 'Emotional whirlpools threatened to spin out of control.' Yes, Nancy, you have said it all right here. Having to watch my husband's mother in that place where time has halted and relationships are unrecognized ... well, let's just say I am hearing you well tonight.

    Thank you for going there ...

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    1. Linda, it took a long time to be able to go there. Some of my other writings during the experience are much darker--my way to cope. Mom was ill for ten years, so it was a long time before I could remember how she was when she was well. Thank God for precious memories! I'm sorry you had to walk down that same path. It's not a pleasant walk, is it? Fortunately, we have the God of peace to walk with us. Thank you for stopping by.

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  5. Hi Nancy! I am coming over from Maria's blog.

    It is so important to be open to the peace, which comes from the Spirit. I think with wars, and your Mom too, the peace is offered, but we are often too mad or confused to look for it or to just step back and experience it. You were able to do that with your Mom, which is a true witness of your strong faith.

    It really stinks that your Mom had to go through this illness, and for you...you had to watch a family member go through it. I did too, with my mother-in-law. But God has his plans, and gives us his peace. Thanks to him, we can do it all for him and through him.

    Nice to be here today!
    Ceil

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    1. Hi Ceil! Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. You are so right about the peace. It is there for the taking, but too often we chose to fret or worry rather than resting in His peace.

      I'm sorry your family had to experience this terrible illness too. It is not a pleasant experience, but God does, indeed, give us peace through the turbulence.

      Very nice to have you here today!

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  6. Nancy,

    That is a difficult road to have traveled with your Mom. I watched mine go down hill physically for years before she finally let go. Today is her birthday. My friend is going through dementia with her mother-in-law now and just lost her Mom who suffered with it. It was very difficult for her as well. The peace we get from God and the Spirit gives us strength to do all that He calls us to do. But it is not easy. He never promised that. He just promises to love us through it all. Blessings to you.

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  7. Oh, Kim, I'm lifting you in prayer now. I know how difficult birthdays can be. Prayers for your friend as well. Sometimes this life is just plain hard. Thank God He is there for us, even in the hard times. And you are so right: He loves us through it all. Thanks for commenting and God bless.

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