“Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
Do not fret—it only leads to evil.
For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait on the Lord shall inherit the land.”
~Psalm 37:7-9 (NRSV).
This whole psalm is a beautiful byword for life, but what is captured in the essence of this passage above is a whole paradigm for living that makes for us a flourish right through life.
It has taken me a long time to learn how to not panic.
Perhaps it’s because I’m an eldest child or for some other reasons. Diligence has often been morphed by a fear of failure and that, quite often, has propelled me to places at times regretful.
Still, God is abundantly patient with all of us. Learning opportunities does God give, and plenty there are to spare.
The Peace of the Ancients
I always imagine the peace of experience as a sixty-something woman—ageing gracefully in her years, sure, but with such a reflective frame and perspective only a younger woman or man could dream of and hanker for.
This is peace: to know what is important in life; and redoubled, to do it.
The peace of the ancients ushers a whisper of the continuity of emotion, and to the gentle breath, never fazed for what seems critical right now. It does everything with aplomb, notwithstanding pressure. It even manages a smile, and that eked from the soul.
The ancients appreciated the balances of life. We too will know their peace as we approach life from a broader perspective. All things are working together for good, despite the fact we don’t see everything.
© 2010 S. J. Wickham.
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