The Peace We Long For: Advent in Disorienting Times | Day 21

11 ^1-2 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

³ By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see.

Psalm 122; Hebrews 11:1-7

There is no other way to put it… This has been a tough year.

Like so many, it feels like living has gotten more expensive. The news leaves me heavy and feeling hopeless. It is so easy to get dragged down by what is not working that it becomes difficult to focus on all the good things that life has to offer.

With all this swirling in my head, I had the opportunity to take a few days off… To drop most of the balls I carry and just be for a moment. One morning, with my coffee in hand, I crept out to sit by a lake. The water lazily danced in a slight breeze. The sun was just starting to peek over the trees and painted the sky in delicate pastels. I watched the turtles stick their heads out of the water as they drank in fresh air, and birds soared silently on the wind.

I took a breath, and like the prophet Elijah on his mountain top found the presence of God in that silence. I tried to soak up that assurance of His presence in that moment… the assurance that things will be ok.

That somewhere, the future me was looking back on the present me and thinking about all that we went through, and we came out ok.

Hebrews 11: 1 - 3 gives these words of wisdom, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” 

As I look out on the life palpating around that lake, I am in awe of the universe God created and set in motion. I draw upon the faith in me that says, “keep going, keep striving, one foot in front of the other.” I think of my friends and family who walk with me and cheer me on, or give me a shoulder to cry on, or wisdom for my journey. I think about all the people out there who work hard to fight for justice in this world, whose voice is used to speak for those who cannot speak, who each day work to make this world a better place. My heart swells with strength and gratitude.

When we find ourselves in the messy middle, we may not know how it all will work out or what it will look like when we get there, but I can have faith that it will work itself out.

That the presence of God walks with us, and there will be a time when I can look back and tell our story of wisdom to someone who needs to hear it. 

In the meantime, find a place where you can tap into your inner peace, where God’s Spirit can touch your heart and ease your burdens even for a few breaths. Allow the words of Psalm 22: 6 - 9 to fill you with hope for a more peaceful future.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

    “May those who love you be secure.

May there be peace within your walls

    and security within your citadels.”

For the sake of my family and friends,

    I will say, “Peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

    I will seek your prosperity.