Fear, fleeting emotions, and painful experiences can make question where God is. Why do we suffer? What are we looking for? How do we find peace and Jesus in life’s difficulties? Thankfully, God’s message is simple. Hear his simple answer in today’s stories.
The prairie testifies of Jesus
After a few weeks of extremely cold weather, I was excited to get a day warm enough that I can stand to talk with nature! One morning in a local park, I stopped to talk with the field. I gazed across the expanse of brown stalks, enjoying the gentle wind. I said a prayer, asking the prairie to share with me a story or message about Jesus. This is what it had to say.
Earthly things are fleeting
The feelings of men are plenty, but they're fleeting and wandering through.
Holding on, catching, trying, always to find something new.
Afraid of what is, afraid of what was, afraid of what will one day be.
Fear! Fear! Fear! Keeps you grasping and seeking, always wandering from Me.
But I am there in all and through the fears, the glorious views.
Allow your feelings to expand and to grow, embrace all that comes to you.
The good and the bad, the sorrow, the sad, the joy, the pains that you feel,
None of these things will last, dear child. Why do you look to them and think that they appeal?
Search instead for the fruit of the spirit, the one that sits in your heart.
The light of your Savior who calls all always, for you are never apart.
Ordinances are needed to gather all in to bring you back to true home,
To save you all from wandering and sin, to remind you of the King on the throne.
All that you see around you, all that has life and does breathe,
Testifies of my glory and calls you always to me.
Do you see not the life? Do you see what does grow in seasons of darkness and light?
All is singing my praises and testifies that everything is right.
No matter your experiences, past, present, or now, they are all for your good.
Believe this? No. Most do not. They'd rather hide and die and keep me under the hood.
I am not something to be examined, imagined, and thought of in mind.
I am here to be experienced, to find glory and dance in divine.
Peaceful waters, peace does flow to all who are willing to trust,
To open their hearts, to allow, and to feel, to let go of all that does rust.
For the spirit of God will purify you and cleanse you as much as you can allow.
The process is difficult, yes, but there is nothing more glorious to avow!
Allow all that is seeking and all that sits in your heart
To come forth to be expressed, for all that is good is all that thou art.
Peace comes from eternal things
This story reminds me of Ecclesiastes, exclaiming that all is vanity! Earthly things are fleeting, but coming unto God will bring us eternal joy.
The physical world is beautiful. There is so much here to enjoy and experience. But if we look to earthly things to bring peace, we will find only a temporary, unstable respite. I know that lasting peace comes through the Savior. Even in difficult or painful circumstances, we can find peace if we choose to turn to Him.
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