Stepping Stones: Peace, The Great Healing Elixir

January 7-8, 2012

Transformational Thought

Last winter, Martine was out shoveling the driveway because I was working hard at the office and she has this obsessive belief that the snow on the driveway must be immediately removed or all our thousands of visitors would slip and fall, or think we weren’t very hospitable. She is a hard worker and she did do a great job, but unfortunately, she seriously injured her rotator cuff.

The pain didn’t go away and started to interfere with many of her activities. Using that arm for almost anything made the situation worse. She then tried rest, but that had minimal benefit. Of course, being a nurse and me being a doctor, she waited much too long before seeking real medical attention. The doc told her the tendons in her shoulder were swollen and inflamed. After some massage and a stimulator, she experience a lot more relief, her shoulder became stronger, and she was able to get back to most of her activities without limitation. You see, using her arm while the tendons were inflamed to engage in a “pleasurable activity” that she thought would help her feel better, just worsened the injury and added more pain. We do the same thing with our psychological injuries.

I think it’s safe to say that most people, actually, let me say it with more strength, ALL people, are “the walking wounded” in the spiritual sense. Of course, the wounds and injuries vary in severity. But we all carry wounds around with us, and those wounds bring some degree of pain. We try to escape the pain in some good ways, but also in some not-so-good ways, because we all are addicted to comfort and peace.

Unfortunately, our pain level often goes from bad to worse through the decisions and choices we make in our search for comfort. It’s the proverbial vicious downward cycle. We have a painful wound and want to relieve it. But we are impatient and don’t tolerate it well. The pain and impatience impair our assessment of effective options. Then we make a wrong decision by picking a poor option. When the consequence of that decision results in more discomfort, we try to relieve it impatiently, and the cycle repeats.

The injection we need to stop this hurtful cycle is God’s peace. The promise of peace is abundant throughout The Holy Bible. An antonym for peace is uproar, a highly emotional state. And while emotions are critical to us (they act as a very effective warning system), they don’t help us to make good choices. Making decisions during times of high emotion only increases the inflammation and pain.

Today, reflect back on some decisions that you regret … what kind of emotions pushed and prompted your decision-making? Do you think your decision-making would have been different if you had a powerful Peace in the midst of that stressful situation? How and why? In order to access His peace, you have to look in the right places. Seek and accept the peace promised by your Lord before you make any important decisions. The difference will determine the fulfillment in this life. Your decision, so choose well.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I am so thankful for Your power. I know, Lord, that the very same power that controls creation and raised Your Son from the dead is available to me. Infuse me, Father, with Your Holy Spirit, the Spirit that Jesus called the Great Comforter, so that I may experience peace through good weather and especially during the storms of life. I pray this in the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6,7