Dear God...

[MajestyJo]

The Meaning of Peace
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There was once a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried.

The king looked at all the pictures, but there were only two that he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The second picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, and in which lightening played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest.... a perfect picture of peace.

Which of the pictures won the prize?

The king chose the second picture.

Do you know why?

"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.

Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

That is the REAL meaning of peace.

~Author Unknown~

Love this! So true, we often only find peace when there is chaos around to take us there to look for it. I know it is so easy to get caught up in busy! For someone who is retired and has been for a long time, I am the busiest person doing nothing that I know.

It is good to be busy, but not when it prevents us from going within to balance ourselves and connect with the God of our understanding.

Dear God, let my focus be on your will for me. May I find peace within the storm, and know that you are ever with me, no matter what is going on in my life. Amen.