Privation of Peace

Protect your peace...Protect your energy. Two cliche assertions that have been used by what seems like everyone, including myself.

Merriam-Webster defines peace in five different ways, but three definitions resonate:

1. a state of tranquility or quiet
2. freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions [emphasis mine]
3. harmony in personal relations

Lack of tranquility, lack of freedom from oppression, and lack of harmony in personal relations will surely create lack of peace.

Merriam-Webster also synonymously refers to energy as a spiritual force that is held to emanate from or give animation to living beings. In other words, when someone mentions a person’s energy, they are speaking about their spirit.

But what exactly does protecting your peace and energy mean? Does it mean that we avoid the people and places that cause disruption? If I were to take a poll, I imagine that many if not most people would respond affirmatively.

Perhaps there are times when the best thing to do is to avoid disruption causing people and places. But what about when avoidance is not an option?

For instance, take into consideration a place like your job. Working is essential to making a living, right? If your job disrupts your peace, chances are you cannot, or rather should not, just quit without another job to fall back on.

How about a person with whom you must interact regularly? Or any other situation that you need God to change?

Numerous circumstances provoke us to seek peace and they vary from one person to another. Unfortunately, separating ourselves from our circumstances may not always be practical or possible.

Quite frankly, if tangibly escaping is our only strategy, we will likely never find the true peace that is found only in God. Just as Gideon learned in Judges that "The Lord is Peace", we too have the same assurance that He is our Jehovah Shalom.

It is He that blesses us with authentic peace.

Reflecting Beyond the World

What circumstance(s) in your life disrupt your peace?

Prayer

Father God, you are Lord over everything. Help me to recognize that I can trust you to bless me with authentic peace in every circumstance.