Peace that passes... The year was 1978 and Dad and I had just arrived at Waterfowl Campgrounds in Banff Alberta Canada. The moment the car came to a stop I wanted to bust out of the car with a cheer and run, shake out the legs and scream at the top of my lungs. I was 15 and Dad and I were going backpacking. This day could not start too fast!
But Dad had different ideas... Without saying a word he quietly stepped from the car and walked only a few steps into the trees. And then, while I was trying to get him to move, joining me in my burst of energy, my father just stood.
"David come here. Breath... come here and breath. Listen...quiet... you can hear the heartbeat of God. There now stand still and breath deeply." So deeply I breathed...slowly and tried as hard as I could to reflect the peace that I saw, the peace I knew was in his life.
"IN WHATSOEVER situation I find myself...there I will be content." Paul
Wow... if ever there was a time when I was impressed with the Apostle Paul that moment would be today. Contentment is one of the most difficult disciplines to develop in life.
Our culture rejects contentment as a sign of a non leader, a lazy person or at worst... a complete sloth. These are the frames of reference that is so wrong and may I be so bold as to suggest that we have this completely backwards.
We talk about the peace that God has given us and yet we live so differently. The World is full of people looking for spectacular happiness while they snub contentment. We hustle and fly through life hoping that in the speed of our activities we will somehow discover the peace that we all so desperately need.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said
“For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.”
How often do we live our lives as William Shakespeare described them... "we strut and fret our hour upon the stage." But this is the lie that our culture has pushed.
But in against this noise, God's word stands and says...
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Contentment is a discipline that comes slowly... deliberately. This principle is one that is easy to talk about and challenging to live out. I have no words of direction about how to do this...for truth be told I'm still trying to listen.
So come with me...back into the woods, stand still and breath while listening to the heartbeat of God.
