Finding Peace

Finding peace in the midst of chaos is a tricky thing.

Over the course of the past year, I made it my quest to find peace.

Of course, I didn't think that was what I was doing. At the time, I knew two things: I needed to get in shape spiritually and get in shape physically.

This year, I incorporated daily quiet time into my morning. I also started exercising every day. And slowly but surely, peace seeped into my life.

One stills me; one awakens me. Both allow me to think, pray, relieve stress and steady myself as I head into the day.

I don't think this is the magic formula; I just know it's my magic formula. The combination of these two things allows me to find a peace that is unshakable.

For the most part. :)

I read this article by Michael Hyatt not too long ago. The conclusion? Peace should not depend on our circumstances. It's not a "grass is always greener" scenario.  We don't find true peace by taking a fancy vacation or moving to a new city or making any outwardly physical change; it all comes from within.

Of course that's easier said than done. For my friend who's a new mom of two kids under the age of 2; peace is hard to find, day or night. Or my friend and co-worker who is losing his job at the end of the month, with 4 kids at home to feed; I bet he would argue peace is circumstantial.

There are no easy solutions. But having looked for peace in all of the wrong places- a shaky relationship, a half-way commitment to a job, a semi-devoted commitment to my spiritual life- I know that real, lasting peace takes time to find, and is worth fighting for once it's found. 

Because it's usually right within our reach, all along.