February – Peace to you

As I sit down to write to you this month, the theme that has been stirring in my spirit is that of peace. Oh, how we need it at the moment. A day does not go by without hearing yet more news of division, anger, war, or conflict. It can feel almost too much for the soul to bear at times, can it not?

A brief search in a Bible dictionary defines peace as something far richer than the absence of conflict. Derived from the Hebrew shalom and the Greek eirēnē, peace speaks of completeness, wholeness, health, and restored relationships. It is described as a divine gift, one that reflects harmony in our inner lives and in our relationship with God.

This all sounds deeply beautiful, yet the question remains. How do we actually experience this kind of peace when the global scene is as unsettled as it is? A friend of mine often prays that we would become places of peace for those around us. I wonder if this is not something we need to strive for, but rather something we need to remember.

May I suggest, for your reflection, that peace may not be found by changing what surrounds us, but rather by attending to what is already within us. Could peace be discovered as we learn to be still in the midst of unrest, to quiet our hearts, and to listen for the gentle wisdom of the Divine that already resides within us? From that still place, could peace begin to take root, and from there could it slowly flow outward into the lives of others and the world around us?

May we each find the courage to pause, to listen, and to receive the peace that is already being offered.

Deep peace to you this February.

P.S Here is a little Spotify playlist to hopefully bring you some peace and space.