Peaceful Easy Feeling
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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27
I sat on our porch with the morning sunlight peeking through the trees that were swaying in the morning breeze. The sky was bright blue with a few white fluffy clouds dancing across the sky. The only sounds were the rustle of the leaves in the wind and in the distance the muffled sound of trucks on the highway about a mile away. A huge difference from the constant sirens, traffic, and street noise I was used to hearing in the mornings.
A song came into my head by the Eagles – “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” While I am not usually a pop song fan nor a fan of the Eagles, this song’s chorus spoke to me this morning. “Cause I got a peaceful easy feelin’ and I know you won’t let me down. Cause I’m already standin’ on the ground.” My surroundings were peaceful, and life was not pushing or demanding. I knew God was all around me as I was standing on the firm foundation of His love and grace.
Since my recent move, I have been slowing down my thoughts and my vision. Yes, vision. I am looking at the trees all around me. The deep blue sky. The bean field across the street. Nature. It is all around me and we are leaving the yard all natural. No grass will be planted, just wood chips spread all around the house and then letting nature be natural. This is easy because God’s creation will be allowed to grow however it chooses. To me, this is the perfect yard. It is not demanding to be trimmed, mowed, or pruned. It just goes with the flow and does not demand anything of me but to enjoy its beauty.
This peace is also coming to me in my schedule. While I am counseling virtually and in person as I accept new clients in the area, I am at peace choosing when to counsel and when to reserve time to enjoy the adventures of life. This is a peaceful easy feeling that nobody is dictating my schedule or use of space. Nobody is watching what I am doing. It is God’s timing and schedule. I like God’s way of looking at life.
I have found throughout my life and career that the demands of others have taken precedence in my schedule and view of life. I believe this has been the root of much anxiety and struggle to accomplish what others expect not what God wants. While God has given you and me gifts and talents and purpose in life, we tend to get lost in society’s overwhelming expectations. We become burdened with producing to meet other people’s standards. It becomes grueling and tiresome without joy or peace.
Life loses its easygoing and peaceful feeling. This world cannot give us peace because it is always demanding more, which increases our anxiety and fear. Only Jesus gives peace and contentment. When we focus on the love God has for us and release control to Him, we can begin to experience peace. This is the first step. Then we begin living more in the present moment and know God has the future. We begin focusing just on what is in front of us and on our next step trusting God will lead us. Next it is not focusing so much on doing but on being with God. Our whole purpose in life is to glorify God which means to love God naturally, easily without demands or stipulations. It is enjoying our Loving God and not placing demands and requirements back on God. For me, peace comes when I focus on Jesus being my friend who walks with me in the joys and storms of life. Jesus fills me with the peace of His Spirit when I keep my eyes on Him. It is not about what is happening around me as what is going on within me. My spirit is at peace in the presence of God’s love and grace.
This peaceful easy feeling is coming more and more to me as I step away from the intensity of the city life, the traffic, and the demands placed on me or perceived by me. It is when I look up at the swaying trees in the breeze and trust God for my next step. It is resting. Truly resting my thoughts and view of life. It is resting my vision. What are you looking at each day? The mess, the screen, the brokenness of life? It is there and will always be there. My eyes are looking at the simple creation of God all around me. I am focusing more on God’s love for me. Not on preforming but on standing on the foundation of God’s love. This brings a peaceful easy feeling.
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