There is a line from the old novel, Kidnapped, where Jim Hawkins, the main character in the novel, is at the helm of a boat that is caught in a storm. As the winds begin to loom larger, Jim is told to keep the boat steady. In reply he asks, “How can I keep it steady when I’m not steady on the inside?”
Now that’s a good question. We understand it. We don’t have to be caught at sea in a storm to know the feeling of not being steady on the inside. We all want inner peace. Sometimes it seems so illusive. Is it really possible in the midst of bad memories and traumatic experiences, in the midst of making
a living, paying debts and raising children, in the midst of health concerns, strange relationships, and guilt and shame over wrong things that we have done, to find calm, and serenity, and peace?
Yes, it is possible. Jesus said, “My peace I give unto you.” You can’t buy peace, rent peace, earn peace, or bargain for peace. Peace is a gift that God gives to you and me. To receive that peace, keep the eyes of your heart and the focus of your mind on God. He is the giver of peace. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose faults are fixed on you.”
-Dr. Tim Thompson