I sit this morning on the balcony overlooking the bay in Orange Beach, Alabama. Just Jesus and me. The dawn is breaking, all is quiet, and it is just Jesus and me.
I have been on a journey through the Psalms this year, and this morning He takes me to Psalm 131, because He knows that a portion of it will speak to my heart. He’s right.
1 O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Verse 2. Oh my! “But I have calmed and quieted my soul.”
We live in a busy, hurried and harried world. We say “yes” more often than we say “no”. We forfeit family time for a multitude of other, seemingly good, things. We push and pull and tug; we fight and scratch and kick so we can make it to the top rung of whatever ladder we are climbing. And we wonder why we have no peace in our hearts.
In John 14:27 Jesus told His followers that He was the source of peace and He would give it to them. He did. He will. He does. Yet, Psalm 131:2 reminds me that, in order to have that peace, there is something that I must do.
I must make a choice to calm and quiet my soul. It is not an easy choice in the world in which we live, and that choice will look differently for each of us. We may need to:
Carve out time for Bible study and prayer
Say ‘No’ to more activity
Find an accountability partner
Take a vacation or sabbatical
Turn off mobile devices and social media
Take a hike or a drive and enjoy the beauty of nature
Whatever is required to calm and quiet our souls is what we need to be intentional about doing. Our peace depends on it. Our intimacy with Jesus depends on it. Our family relationships depend on it.
What would it take for you to calm and quiet your soul? Are you intentional about doing this? I would love for you to share how you are doing in this area.
