Peace and Clarity of Direction

Ah, just the words evoke a sigh. I found this picture for the blog, as it spoke to me on this specific topic.

This woman knows where she is going. It looks like she didn't exactly plan on the wet path, but she was resourceful in realizing that she could take off her shoes and get where she is going.

Her field of vision is constrained by the greenery on either side of the path and the sky is not clear, which means that there could be another downpour just around the bend.

I don't know whether it is her stance, her clothes, the hat or just the fact that she was resourceful enough to roll up her jeans and take off her shoes.... But to me, she doesn't looked panicked.

Somewhere, perhaps when we were young, we were led to believe that peace is somehow linked to everything being calm around us, sunshine, dry paths, clear fields of vision.

But I have learned through some tumultuous times over the past year, that peace is a choice.

Huh??? A choice? Yes.

We can choose to be fearful when we can't see around the bend, or can't see what could be coming at us due to our field of vision being blocked. We can choose to feel victimized when others make choices that thwart our purposes. We can get mad that it has rained and our new shoes will be ruined or our pants will get wet. And we can just plain react when things don't go our way.

But we have a choice. In 2 Timothy 1:7, God's word says that "God did not give us spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." The New King James version uses the term "and a sound mind" instead of discipline.

When a tradesman sets out to work on a house, he first assembles his tools. He puts on his toolbelt, selects the right tools for the job and assuming that he has the training that has made him competent for the job, he goes to work and successfully completes his tasks.

If armed only with timidity, it is tough to greet a difficult situation with anything but fear.

But if my toolbelt includes power, love and a sound mind (which results in discipline), then there is nothing that I can't tackle.

These aren't just spiritual gifts, but practical ones! The Message translation of the Bible has applied this translation:

God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.

Oh, I love the picture that creates. These aren't just tools, they are gifts. With them, he wants us to be bold, loving and sensible!

So no matter what your storm, no matter how narrow your field of vision, whether the sun is shining or there is a storm on the horizon, ask him to guide your steps, roll up your pants, take your shoes off and tred on!

He laid down a path for your life before you were even conceived. Psalm 139 is His love story of your life and in particular verses 15 and 16 speak to His plan for your life.

Choose to walk in the path that He has for you and you will find peace. In that peace is clarity of vision. Amazing........


Chicke Fitzgerald