Perfect Peace

 A friend of mine recently suggested I write a blog post about peace. I jotted it down in my little book of blog post ideas, but the next two weeks flew by and I still struggled to find a good way to start the post.

Then, on the heels of those two busy weeks, I reached the point in the summer when I realize with a sickening twinge of panic that summer break is over halfway spent, and I have not made a bit of progress on my writing projects. I had not accomplished even one of the things I looked forward to having “more time for once school is out.”

So, I decided to start taking my lack of writing time seriously. I flew through a busy weekend and promised myself that I would take a little “writing retreat” early Monday morning. I had the park all picked out, and let myself do a little daydreaming, remembering all the times I had spent there before, and how productive those times had been.

But then Monday came. I struggled to focus during both my prayer and Bible study times, feeling the full weight of that panicky pressure of needing to get so much done, and having such a limited time in which to do it all.

Finally, I got out the door and started driving. The park I had planned to drive to was in the opposite direction of all my non-writing tasks later in the day, so I decided to try to find a park closer by. The first park had only parking spaces in the sun, and it was already late enough to make that an issue, since I typically write inside my car. The next place had no parking spaces, so I drove further on and eventually ended up at a quiet scenic viewpoint.

All of a sudden, the words began to flow. I don’t know whether it was the drive that gave me space to think, or the fact that I was actually alone with no one in sight, but suddenly, I could write again. Putting words together had been such a struggle, I could hardly believe I was actually writing sentence after sentence without the agonized effort I had become used to over the last few weeks.

After a while, the sun reached my picnic table, (and with it a swarm of very persistent insects) so I reluctantly gathered my things and walked back to my car. It was enough, though. The brief  time of solitude allowed the Holy Spirit to break through my distracted mind and panicky emotions and now I could write again.

It suddenly didn’t matter that the summer was half gone. It didn’t matter that I had spent so much time driving around to try to find somewhere with less distractions. It didn’t matter that I had a long list of things to do waiting for me when my short retreat was over. All that mattered was that I had let God take away the panic, the feeling of “too much to do” that clung to me even when I found myself with a little down time.

You see, I had been pushing, running, trying so hard to just get everything done so I could finally have some time to write, I had pushed away the very thing I needed: time alone with God. It took driving out to the middle of nowhere to get me away from distraction, yes, but also to a place where I could set a timer, pray, and then put away the busyness of my overwhelming to-do list and simply focus on obeying God in each present moment.

Isaiah 26:3 says,

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee.”

Instead of letting the panic of lost writing time build inside me and add to the chaos of all the “catch-up” projects I was trying to accomplish, I should have stopped then and there and given my summer to the Lord, asking Him to provide time, energy, and focus according to His plan, not mine. I needed to make time to “stay” my mind on Him, instead of letting the rushing hurry of my to-do list drive my day.

Martin Luther once said when asked about his plans for the day, “I have so much to do, I must spend the first three hours in prayer.” It sounds counterproductive, right? But time with God is exactly what we need—and all to often exactly what we cut from our to-do list first.

How busy are you today? What things on your to-do list are driving you through your hours and leaving you feeling busy even when it’s time to rest? Carve out time–even if it has to be just a few minutes here and there—turn your phone off, get alone with God, and let yourself rest in His presence. That is the only way to have peace in the midst of “too much to do.”

Remember Mary and Martha? What was it that Jesus said to Martha when she let her busyness drive her into resentment of her sister?

“Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

It is right to be diligent and conscientious. It is right to fulfill your obligations, but more than anything else, we need focused, purposeful, undistracted time with God.

And just because distractions are present doesn’t mean you can’t choose to focus regardless. Whether that means closing your eyes, shutting a door, playing some quiet music, or even using noise-cancelling headphones, you need to find a way to take purposeful, focused time with God.

As Mary sat at the feet of Jesus that day, she didn’t have an agenda, she wasn’t filling in blanks in a study booklet, she wasn’t checking one more thing off her list: she was simply sitting and listening, soaking in all that Jesus had to say to her. If you and I begin our day like that, we will be able to have that perfect peace of a mind stayed and firmly anchored on the Lord.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

(Colossians 3:15)