Ahhhhh!
Just in case you were wondering
about that strange sound coming from the Green household. No worries! It is
simply a sigh of relief that summer break has commenced. That wonderful time of
decompressing from the fast-paced days of early alarms, endless meetings and
all of the expectations that come along with the education profession. I have
been going to school in varying capacities for over thirty years and the one
consistent thing about them all is that summer break is always a welcome sight.
Couple that with a particularly demanding season as a pastor and physical
difficulties at home and we are extremely glad to enjoy a change in pace.
We hope to be able to visit our
friends and relatives in Florida and Alabama this summer, which will encompass
over two weeks of our break. When we return home there are also some components
of the kid’s education that we need to complete and also some church meetings
that we are looking forward to attending. BUT, the theme of this summer is
CALM. That sounds easy enough doesn’t it?
Experience proves that it is much easier said than done when reality,
expectations and time (or lack thereof) inevitably collide in the game of
life. Despite the challenges, we would
all benefit from a healthy dose of calm in our lives. Let’s examine this
subject from a biblical standpoint:
Philippians 4:5-7
Let your moderation be known unto all
men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for
nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Do you notice the beautiful
progression of this passage? Herein contains some crucial steps to achieving
calm in your life. Step one is moderation. The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary
defines it as: calmness of mind;
equanimity; as, to bear prosperity or adversity with moderation. In other
words we should confront the inevitable challenges of life without extreme
emotional reactions. Both good and bad are to be responded to in a moderate
manner. We should not overreact either direction. Why? Because the Lord is
always with us!
The next step involves replacing
worry with conversing with God. I confess that a large amount of my thought
life is consumed with ‘what ifs’ that might never come to fruition. It is my
nature to overanalyze every little aspect of life. But the Apostle Paul
admonishes us to replace such with petitions to God. Worry is fruitless.
Talking to God is always productive and time well spent!
Finally, the fruit of these two
habits is supernatural peace. That is the calm that I desire! That is the
example that we desire to cultivate in our home this summer and beyond. The
demands of life will always be present. There will always be roadblocks along
the journey. But what a wonderful joy to know that obedience to God and
adherence to the simple pattern that He breathed into scripture can produce
peace in the midst of incredible challenges!
Blessings,
Michael D. Green, Jr.
Fort Wayne PBC
