If We Could Have a Moment’s Peace Somewhere!

If We Could Have a Moment’s Peace Somewhere!!

I realize I am showing my age again, but there may be some of you who remember the song “Down By the River Side”. You know the one that states “Ain’t gonna study war no more”? That one. I will link at the end of the article to a version by Louis Armstrong – singer/trumpet player. There I go showing my age again! The song, originally sung as a Black spiritual, carries the theme of reconciliation and of peace…ultimately.

I chose to include it based on our travels into countries previously war-torn or still recovering from revolutions and decades of unrest. There was an aura in each place of finally finding rest, peace, and hope for a future much better than their past. People were beginning to feel truly secure again. Security is pursued because it is a need of the soul, a heart need. When security is present, wonderful opportunities abound.

Security Defined:

Harmony in relationship; freedom from fear, threat of harm, or abandonment

How is the need for security met?

1. Knowing there is no threat to me personally or those I love
2. Not being harmed or living with the fear of being harmed
3. Setting reasonable limits and appropriately enforcing them
4. Providing adequately for life’s needs: food, shelter, etc.
5. Not having the fear of others losing their temper
6. Having dependable providers in life
7. Getting the training needed to do my job well
8. If promises are made, then there is a good chance they’ll be kept.

What if the need for Security (peace) is met?

When the need for security is met, there exists an atmosphere where love can grow. We will be able to focus on the happier, more positive side of life rather than fearing that there is a storm coming. We will experience more consistency in our relationships, making the outcomes more predictable or at least fostering hope.

What if the need for security is not met?

1. Fear and insecurity may grow
2. There will exist an anxiety in either or both in a relationship
3. Hope will be hard to find, as we are unsure what to expect or perhaps what we expect is likely harmful
4. May not want others around who don’t have to be in the situation, leading to loss of friends and influence
5. Attempts to escape the insecurity are probable
6. Trust in the word of those causing the insecurity is lost
7. Transferring trust to other authorities may be difficult, even trusting God may come into question.

What does God say about Security (Peace) and how did Jesus illustrate meeting that need for others/us?

1. Do you know He wants to be your peace when no one else will? Eph 2:14-22
2. Trust is a key factor in our walk with God. Proverbs 3:5, 6
3. We are to be peacemakers in this world. Matthew 5: 9
4. Jesus brings peace into our life – peace with God. Matthew 16:33
5. Unity can come when security is present. Psalm 133:1

Being secure in our relationship with God brings peace inside so that we can have confidence in Him to help us when things around us are not secure. In that place of peace with God, we can find the peace of God to make wiser decisions on how to deal with our storms of uncertainty. I Peter 5:6-7