Inner peace comes from faith in God

I heard a story about an artist who wanted to create a painting that depicted “perfect peace.” If I were to think about painting a picture of perfect peace, I would probably think of a man in a boat fishing on a placid lake with not one ripple on the water. Yet this artist painted a raging waterfall with winds whipping the spray from the water all about.

On a limb, overhanging the boiling foam, a mother bird had built her nest and was sitting peacefully brooding her eggs. Here she was safe and secure, shielded and protected by the roaring falls.

It has never occurred to me that peace can be found in the midst of turmoil. Now if mother bird can figure that out, surely I can. In life’s struggle, I am tempted to complain.

Then I remember the struggle in the cocoon. It is through that struggle the butterfly finally emerges. In God’s timing, it bursts into the light with beauty and soars on wings of victory. How does that happen? The struggle gives strength to go on with life.

I don’t like to struggle. I don’t enjoy waiting to get out of hard places. I want to burst into the light, soaring like the butterfly and bypassing the preliminaries.

Yet when confronted with a problem, I must realize God’s timing is best and that there is strength to be gained, lessons to be learned and trust in God to be secured.

The big lesson here is ”the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NIV).

Think about Daniel thrown into the lion’s den and the fiery furnace, yet he emerged unscathed. God’s protection enabled Daniel to walk away victoriously.

The enemy meant Joseph’s capture and slavery for evil, but God turned it into a victory and saved his people from famine.

Haman thought he had devised a sure scheme to eliminate God’s people, but God used Queen Esther to save the Israelites. How did these heroes do such exploits? They traded all their fears for faith.

One thing is certain. Nothing lasts forever, not even the problem at hand. When I think of the many past victories the Lord has brought me through, I know he will surely lead me on.

“And it came to pass…” I love to read that in the Bible. Although I am taking this verse out of context, I like to think the problem did not come to stay. In other words, “This too, will pass.”

Matthew 6:27 in The New Century Version reads: “You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.”