Need Some Peace and Quiet?
“He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge;” Psalm 91:4
“I’m sorry Lord. I just want some peace and quiet here, is that too much to ask?” I said to the Lord one afternoon after a particularly challenging day. I absolutely needed to repent. For I had faced the challenges in His love for a good bit of the day, but then, exhausted, overwhelmed by all that I had faced, and the sheer amount of energy it had taken, I had fallen headlong into sin. I needed His forgiveness, but I wanted more than that. I wanted peace and quiet. A lull in the storm. A break in the challenge. A respite from the work involved in facing the challenges. I knew He would forgive me in His amazing love and mercy if I sincerely repented, but I wanted more. I wanted the peace and quiet. Then it dawned on me.
I had forgotten that the peace and quiet I sought was not contingent on a change in my circumstances or in an end to my challenges. The peace and quiet I sought, and could have, even instantly, would be guaranteed only in one place. In Christ alone.
The Lord had been teaching me I need to be thankful to Him no matter my circumstances, that I can find rest and be peaceful no matter my circumstances, and that, as a friend had reminded me in praying for me, that I can learn to be content no matter my circumstances.
The same is true for you, my friend. Life can be a roller coaster of circumstances and emotions, if we seek peace and quiet, and rest, and contentment, and are only thankful, based on our circumstances.
But God’s Word teaches us that those who follow Christ can find love, hope, joy, peace, quiet, rest, thanksgiving, and contentment, a reason to rejoice, a cause for celebration, delight, passion, and a zillion other spiritual blessings, not contingent on whether life is hard or easy, whether we are having a good day or a bad one, whether we face seemingly insurmountable challenges, or receive wonderful news, etc., but contingent on Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ.
For the Lord beckons us to come away with Him, to come into His secret place, His hiding place, His refuge, His fortress, His strong tower, His safety, His fold, His hold, His embrace, His getaway, His escape, His very own self, Himself, into His everlasting arms, into the peace and quiet of His love, of His salvation, of unwinding in Him, unfolding in Him, of unloading one’s burdens to Him, of kneeling at His feet, or lying down before Him, into His comfort, into His solace, into His serenity, into His promise of everlasting life, of eternal fellowship with Him, for all who turn from our sins and devote our hearts, our lives, our everything, to Him the beloved, He who is Savior, who is redeemer, He who is healer, He who is the atonement for our sins, the precious perfect lamb of God, Son of man, Son of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the One who shall reign forever, the One who was and is and always will be, who is everlasting, the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus in whom we can lay down our burdens, and lay down our weary heads, leaning our heads upon His bosom, pouring out our hearts to Him, listening ever for His voice, basking in His love, in Christ, in Christ, oh rejoice, in Christ forevermore!