Category: Peace Page 2 of 7

If you could picture a peaceful vignette in your mind, what would it look like?  Sound like?  Smell like?  Feel like???  Would the scene of your arriving at Heaven’s gates be peaceful for you or full of trepidation and anxiety?

I’ve looked forward to going to Heaven for many years, but not always.  My concept of what Heaven would be like was distorted and it didn’t appeal to me even though I knew I would be with the Lord.  Besides, in my younger years Heaven seemed like such a far- away place in terms of time and distance.  Reading Randy Alcorn’s book Heaven changed all that for me.  But don’t take my word for it.  Read his book and see if it doesn’t inspire you and make you long for the day you will get to go there.

I don’t know who God will designate to meet me once I walk through the Gate, but I have someone in mind whom I could request if it were possible.  Of course, I want to see Jesus Christ, but all of us who know Him are “little Christs” (Christians), and maybe He will send one of His children to meet me.  There are lots of friends and relatives I’ll be anxious to see, but one in particular was like a second father to me and I can’t think of anyone more perfect to welcome me to Heaven other than the Lord Himself.  This man was always there when I needed someone to talk to.  He gave the biggest bear hugs.  He encouraged me.  He included me with his family in special events.  At his funeral, one of his children told me that their Dad thought the world of me…which of course brought me to tears.  I knew I was special to him and he to me.  That’s a very peaceful vignette.  Seeing his smiling face and open arms will infuse me with all the energy I need to not walk but run to him.

What is a vignette?  Collins Dictionary says this:

“A vignette is a short description, picture, or piece of acting that expresses very clearly and neatly the typical characteristics of the thing that it represents.”

Collins Dictionary

So think about what your peaceful vignette looks like both here and when you arrive in Heaven.  Obviously if you’re not headed to Heaven, it certainly won’t be peaceful, but who wants to think about that!  However, there is a remedy…

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:1-2, KJV

Peel back the layers of preconceived ideas of what Heaven might look like and how things might go when you get there.  What do you hope to see upon arrival?  What will the scene include?  Will the view be boring and drab or breathtakingly beautiful?  Can your eyes even take it all in?  What will it smell like?  I can’t imagine that it would smell like the pollution of cities and factories.  Maybe the scent of fresh flowers in bloom?  What will you hear?  Will it be the golden harps so much associated with angels and Heaven?  Could be, but I think it will be more quiet and peaceful, something that will appeal to everyone who enters.  Perhaps it will be the sounds of nature—birds chirping, water gurgling in a stream, or maybe the roar of a waterfalls.  Regardless, our ears will be able to hear everything clearly even if we couldn’t here on earth.  What will it feel like?  Can you reach out and touch an animal or plant without fear of a bite or rash? 

Now that you’ve had time to think about your peaceful vignette in Heaven, may I share what mine might be like?

As I began this post, being greeted by my second father with a big bear hug is just the beginning.  Then he might take me by the hand and gently lead me through the streets of Heaven, greeting the Apostles and Prophets, all the while looking for Jesus around the next corner.  After that, a reunion with my relatives and friends will be a treat.  Since there’s no night in Heaven, being taken to my “mansion” for a time of rest might be next, lying down in peace without any fear or need to check the doors to make sure they’re locked.  My pets will be waiting to greet me, letting me know how much they’ve missed me and I them.  Snuggling into their furry embrace, I’ll fall asleep with them by my side just as we did on earth. 

When I awake refreshed from a nap, a new “day” will start and I’ll get to meet up with my relatives and friends and catch up some more on all we’ve missed while apart.  Then I’ll want to go exploring to see all the wonderful things God has prepared for me there, never tiring no matter how far I walk.

That peaceful vignette has me desiring to go to Heaven and settle in for all eternity, and if it’s different than what I envision, it doesn’t matter.  The most important part will be to see Jesus and know I’m finally home and never have to leave again.  How about you?

Many years ago this Grandma was summoned to Hawaii to help out when grandchild #2 was to arrive.  Being there for three weeks, my Grandson and I had lots of time together.  To tire him out as well as to give his Mom quiet time to rest, we went for lots of walks.  I wanted to capture every moment, knowing I’d most likely never visit Hawaii again and because I didn’t know how soon I’d see my grandkids again.

On our many walks, I took lots of pictures which I often look at and remember those special times.  I even bought a special Hawaii photo album to put them into.  My daughter-in-law took the kids on walks, too.  After I came home, my Grandson kept telling his Mom she had to take a picture of every flower.  At first she ignored it until finally she asked him why?  Guess what he said?  “Because Grandma did.”  He was too little to understand why I took all the pictures—he just knew that Grandma did so it must be important.

Ever since his Mom relayed that story to me, I’ve treasured it in my heart, knowing that I left an everlasting impression on his little mind and life.  It was those peaceful moments of our times together that I hope and pray influence him to turn to God when life deals its blows. 

The other impression that echoes in my mind is the love connection we had back then and hopefully still do despite the many miles still between us.  Forever etched in my mind is the day the family took me to the airport to fly home.  I said my goodbyes and as I turned to get in line to board, all I heard was my Grandson crying “I want Grandma!”  Then I burst into tears and knew I couldn’t look back.  I cried myself to sleep after the plane took off.  Despite both our tears, I knew I left a peaceful influence on him by the fact that he wanted to be with me.

What kind of influence do you have on others and others on you? 

First, what influences you?  Is there a certain author, singer, or speaker who affects you? and is it in a good way?  I’ve read some authors and heard some singers and speakers who completely turned me off, and then there’s been some who really encouraged me.  I want to be the latter for those around me.  To be that kind of person who’s encouraging, I need to be around those who encourage me.  If I constantly absorb the negative, pessimistic influence of others, it’s going to affect me negatively and pessimistically.

What you hear, taste, smell, and see is integrated into your being whether you want it to or not.  Our senses are like sponges that absorb everything they come into contact with.  For instance, take people who smoke and those who don’t.  When I’m out in public, I try to avoid the places where people will be smoking—not because of the people but because of the smoke.  I’ve never smoked but someone close to me did, and I always hated it because then my clothes, my hair, and my car smelled like smoke, and it made my eyes pick and burn if I was in a room full of people who smoked. 

What you think about, say, and do is no different than your senses.  If you’re allowing bad thoughts, opinions of others, news, politics, and all kinds of other negative influences into your brain, then that’s what will come out when you open your mouth.  Is what comes out of you a peaceful influence on others?

Are those around you a peaceful influence on you?  Surround yourself with people who are positive, kind, and encouraging, and it will go a long way to give you a peaceful influence in your life and as you reach out to influence others.

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace
and the building up of one another.”
Romans 14:19, NASB

There’s different kinds of peace in this world.  Some is delusional and some is only temporary.  The peaceful influence that lasts is from God.  Where does your peace come from?  Share it with others.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
John 14:27

I have enjoyed writing over the years, and many, many years ago I even had a few articles and stories published.  My cat in this picture has given me some inspiration and also liked to “help” with her paw when I wrote in my journal.  Actually, I think she wanted my attention and was trying to distract me, but it brought me peace to have her by my side, on my lap, or curled up nearby while I wrote.  At least I could override her when it came to what and how I wrote.

I remember one particular article I wrote for a magazine and the editors said they liked my article.  However, they of course have the liberty to edit, and when they were done editing, it read nothing like what I had written.  That really bothered me because even though they had the right to do so and were still paying me, it no longer represented me.  That experience put the damper on my peaceful writing experience. 

Over the years rejection letters didn’t do anything for me either—whether it was the rejection of something I wrote or the rejection to a job application.  I kept submitting articles and stories as well as job applications, but there was always a pinhole in my peace when the rejection letter arrived in the mail. 

If you like a particular style, whether clothes, reading material (hardbound, paperback,  electronic), furniture and decor, music (I know that can be a touchy subject for some.) etc…  Does it bring peace to you?  Does it matter what the style of today is?  Does it matter if others like it?

I’ve had people tell me I have a gift for writing.  Now I’m not saying that to puff myself up…far from it.  I’m just saying that there are different styles that work for different people.  While one editor may not like what or how I wrote, another individual may be blessed reading something I shared in writing.  What was the editor’s loss becomes a treasure to an individual reader.  That is why I’ve chosen to just write and let the Lord use it as He sees fit, guiding the readers to my blog who need what I share.  It’s not that I couldn’t use the extra income from writing, but it isn’t worth it to me to have what I’ve written changed so much that it doesn’t even sound like me.  I’d rather people read me for who and what I am, and allow the Lord to use my writing as He sees fit.

Over the years, I’ve come to take on my Mom’s motto, “If others don’t like it, they can buy me something better.”  She was referring to clothing, and though that attitude came from her not having and not being able to afford nice new things, I think for me it has come to mean more about myself.  If I’m out of my “element” by wearing clothing I don’t feel comfortable in or going somewhere or doing something I don’t enjoy or that may be questionable to me, it doesn’t bring peaceful feelings.  I wear what I like whether it’s in style or not—within reason.  I’m definitely not a “Beverly Hillbillies” person nor a trendsetter, but more of a retro person in many aspects.

So what brings you peace in the different areas of your life?  Are you comfortable in your own skin, as the saying goes?  Do you dress in a particular fashion to be trendy or accepted, but feel self-conscious or uncomfortable?  Does that bring you peace?  How about your home?  Have you overspent to purchase or decorate your home and now stress over bills?  How’s peace in that area?  Do you go with the flow and frequent places that you wouldn’t want to be seen in if your parents, pastor, or the Lord should see you entering or leaving?  Is that a peaceful situation?

I know I’m meddling somewhat, but all I’m saying is that peace is the bottom line and if you don’t have peace about what you’re doing, wearing, etc. then you can’t expect to have God’s peace permeate your life.  He will give peace when you’re obeying Him and living for Him—that’s what brings peace!

I want to close with a brief thought about the direction of peace, where the arrow is pointing.  There is a peace with God, a spiritual peace—that points upward, and it affects our relationship with Him.  Next there is a peace within, an emotional peace—that points inward and is what we most often refer to as the peace of God.  Then there’s a peace with others, a relational peace—that points outward and is what brings people together.  Look at the direction of your life in these areas and see what is at the end of the arrow.

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.
Wash your hands, you sinners,
and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:8, NIV

This verse points us to God and when we go there in our thoughts, words, and actions, He comes to us with His peace.  But as moms always say before a meal, go wash your hands.  Then you’ll have a clean spot for His peace to enter and reside.

These Christmas decorations span three generations of givers in my life—one who was a generation older and one who is two generations younger.  One was a handmade tree and the other was purchased bells, but both portray wisdom to me.  Let me explain. 

The tree was purchased at a craft show and is made of tons of safety pins and clear beads.  By itself, it would be plain, but the creator of it had the wisdom to add a string of small colored lights inside which when turned on lights up the tree with soft rays of color shining through, giving it a peaceful glow.  The lights portray the Savior being the Light of the World.  The giver of the tree had the wisdom to know I like colorful things and sharing the Light. 

Engraved on the bells are words full of wisdom and peace for the Christmas season—Joy to the world, Jesus is the reason for the season, and Peace.  The giver of the bells has the wisdom to know I am a believer and appreciate the message on the bells.  If I had a big Christmas tree, they would be on my tree, but since I don’t, I felt the bells should rest around the tiny tree, displaying the message of Christmas.

“But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”
James 3:17-18 NLT

Think for a minute:  What one word of wisdom does Christmas represent?  Don’t continue reading until you settle on a word; then see if it is the same one I chose.  😊

Before I tell you my Christmas word of wisdom, I want to back up a little.   God gave us His one and only Son for a reason.  What was that reason?  Ultimately so He would die on the cross for our sins.  Jesus came and died but something else needed to happen to bridge the gap for the lost world.  What is the word?  When a friend tells you a story, you have basically two choices:  to accept it as true or reject it.  Do you know the word yet?

God giving His Son and Jesus going to the cross is a gift, but until you receive a gift, it’s not yet yours.  There’s something you have to do.  It’s a word that I’ve seen a lot in recent years on signs, especially around Christmas, and in some contexts it refers to the big fat man in the red suit, but I’m referring to a different context.  Any clues on the word yet?

“They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus
and you will be saved—you and your household.”
Acts 16:31, NIV

BELIEVE!!!  The wisdom of Christmas is that we need to believe in the baby who was born to save us.  His coming into the world won’t help us if we don’t believe.  Do you believe in Him?  Have you asked Him to be your Savior?  If not, why not do so this year and have the best Christmas and New Year ever?!

There are all kinds of sandwiches with various ingredients in the middle—from cheese to onions or even olives!  Oh, and don’t forget the child’s favorite, peanut butter and jelly!  What you taste when you bite into a sandwich depends on what’s inside.  Likewise, when life puts pressure on you, what comes out of your thoughts, words, and actions depends on what you put into your mind and heart.

“But the Holy Spirit produces
this kind of fruit in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control.
There is no law against these things!”
Galatians 5:22-23, NLT

The Holy Spirit produces fruit in our lives, but notice the order in which it grows:  love, then joy, then peace, and then patience and so much more.  When the Holy Spirit fills and inspire you, you will become more patient. Fruit doesn’t grow and mature overnight, and neither does the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  The part that struck me about this verse is that peace is sandwiched in between joy and patience.  Let’s think about this natural order of spiritual fruit as given in the above Scripture verses.

• Love.  We love our family.
• Joy.  Our family brings us joy when we love them.
• Peace.  When we live in love and enjoyment of our family, we find peace.
• Patience.  When we are at peace, we aren’t striving, and we are not hurried and frazzled, but exhibit patience.
• Kindness.  When we are patient, kindness is a byproduct.
• Goodness.  When we are kind, goodness shows in our character.
• Faithfulness.  Goodness in our lives shows that we are faithful to God.
• Gentleness.  God is a kind, gentle, loving Father, and we can’t help but show gentleness when we are faithful to Him.
• Self-control.  Put all these fruits together, and self-control is the evident result.

Let me ask you a question:  What do you put into your favorite kind of sandwich?  Obviously it’s something good, something you want to taste and enjoy…maybe something that won’t give you bad breath. 😊  You wouldn’t want to put something in it that tasted horrible to you and especially not something harmful.  The same is true of our mind.  What do you put into your mind? 

Today take note of what is coming out of your mouth when you speak and your actions as you go through your day.  Is it all good, clean, pure, and positive? 

After a frustrating interaction at a store today that brought no resolve to a billing issue, I was ready to scream.  As I approached my car, I could feel the scream making its way towards my mouth, and was going to let loose when I got into the car.  But something happened as I opened the door to get in.  I realized where I was—in the middle of a busy parking lot where I would be heard.  Someone hearing me might think I was either in distress or losing it.  Was it a good example?  After all, Christ is inside of me and He is what needs to come out, not my own frustration.  So I just shook my head, took a deep breath, and drove home quietly.  When I got home, I was going to call support again but it looked like a hopeless situation.  So instead I decided to let it go for now and see how the Lord works things out. As a result, my afternoon has been peaceful whereas it could have been full of anger, frustration, and a bad attitude.  I’m not perfect and not all situations leave me in peace, but I’m still learning like the rest of us.

If we want the peace that is sandwiched in between the other fruits of the spirit, then we need to let all the fruit develop and grow in our hearts, making sure to not let it get choked out by weeds of discontent, bitterness, anger, etc.  Gardeners don’t always have just one type of plant in their garden.  It’s usually several ones that grow well together.  Over the years of trying to have a garden, I found that certain plants don’t grow well next to others, especially vegetable and fruit plants.  But when it comes to plants and animals, there are certain plants that attract and certain ones that repel animals.  Make sure that the things in the garden of your heart are ones that attract others to Jesus, not push them away.   The fruits of the spirit will not leave room for weeds to grow and will nourish good words and actions to burst forth.

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Psalm 4:8, ESV

This Christmas season, let us remember the words of the last lines of the first verse of “Silent Night”, sleep in Heavenly peace!  Make that your aim today, that the thoughts and desires of your heart will play out in your words and actions, bringing peace as you go to sleep tonight.

This scene brought back childhood memories of walking in a woods near my aunt’s house in the Fall as we gathered pine cones.  This path was a new one for me, though, as we walked into the cluster of pine trees.  The trees were trimmed back neatly to show where to enter from the open part of the path, and once inside, it was like a wonderland.  I loved to look up and see the tall trees standing so straight and elegant.  Pine needles covered the ground.  At one point, we had to stop and decide which way to go because the pine needles had completely obliterated the gravel path to the point that we couldn’t tell where the path was.  It was hidden.

Isn’t your life and mine like that at times?  We’re going along just fine and think we know where we are and which way to go next, and then all of a sudden the path seems to end.  The path is hidden or dead-ends.  It may not be with pine needles.  It may be a cloud of confusion hiding the path like fog on a misty morning, or the sun casting a glare on our path, making it difficult to see where we’re going.  It may even be people, things, or events blocking our path.

“What is hidden will be seen.
And what is out of sight will be
brought into the open and made known.”
Luke 8:17, NIRV

Do you ever wander around not sure which way to go?  It could be when you’re driving, walking, or just life in general.  The other day I was driving to a place I’d only been to one other time so I turned my GPS on.  I had a friend in the car and we were talking, so I’m not sure if I didn’t hear my turn announced but we drove in a complete circle and backtracked to the road I should have turned onto but had passed.  A big sign announcing my destination was at the end of the road as plain as day and had I been alone, I probably would have seen it and avoided the circle and backtracking.  It doesn’t take much to distract us from following the path to our destination, does it?! 

Satan likes to get us distracted, going in circles, heading the wrong direction, but all the while telling us we’re doing OK.  Don’t believe it!  His voice is so deceiving.  Listen for God’s voice that will never mislead us.  There will be times when you can’t see the path more than a few feet in front of you or maybe not at all.  Just stop and pray and God will show you which way to go.  I like the Footprints poem that tells us that when we think we’re walking alone, it is really the time when Jesus is carrying us like a father would his tired child, thus only one set of footprints instead of two in the sand.  Click here to read the full poem. 

Another analogy would be when you’re lost in a snowstorm and can’t see the road (or the sidewalk).  If a vehicle had recently come that way, you’d be able to follow the tire tracks, or if a snow plow had been that way, you could at least trust that this is a road since you see banks of snow on either side.  But if it’s a blizzard and you’re the only one out, it’s hard to find where the road is.  We need others to walk alongside us in the Christian life.  Then when one gets lost or confused, another can help us get back on the true path.

Have you ever given thought to WHY the path in front of you may seem to be hidden, why it appears to have come to an end?  What do you do when the path seems to have ended?  You have a choice to make—keep going but it might not be the right direction OR stop and think.  You might need to inspect the surroundings for clues.  Prayer is definitely a good choice when you’re not sure which way you should go.  If the path had not ended, you would have kept on going, but perhaps that is not the path God intended for you to take.  So stopping, reevaluating, and praying is wise. 

The seemingly end to your path may be there for a reason.  Look around and up for the reason.  It will guide you to where you should be and away from the wrong path you might have taken if you hadn’t stopped.

If I’d been carrying a broom on our walk, I might have swept the pine needles away to see which way the path was going.  As we stood and looked around, trying to decide where the path was, I looked way ahead and saw clearly the gravel path in the distance, so it was just a matter of keeping our eyes on that distant path to get us through the unknown hidden part of the path.

Don’t let your path be hidden.  Keep your eyes on Jesus as you go through life.  Let Jesus light the way for you and for those behind you so that you can all make it safely to your destination—Heaven!