Chrysostom
Beloved of All
You cry out for relief from sleeplessness, from heavy bills, from the weariness of waiting on the decisions of men. But consider the peace you truly need. The peace the world gives is fragile and fleeting, it depends on a comfortable house, a cooler room, a swift answer to your complaint. Yet when those things are delayed or denied, that peace shatters. Christ gives a different peace, one that remains steadfast when all else is shaken. He said, “My peace I give unto you,” not as the world gives. If you have peace with Him, what harm can the troubles of this life do? The lame climbed the mountain to be cast at His feet, showing their faith not by demanding immediate ease but by trusting His power. Cast your cares at His feet now: the insomnia, the bills, the long processes. Let not the wrestling thoughts within you, one urging frustration, the other patience, be decided by anger or worry. Let the peace of God act as umpire in your heart, giving the prize to endurance.
The very delays and burdens you face may become a means of healing. The physician amputates the diseased part to save the body; the general scatters those who conspire in mischief. What you perceive as an endless tangle of complaints and requirements might be God’s way of leading you to a simplicity you would not otherwise embrace. He often allows tribulation to draw us nearer to Himself, that we might learn to rely not on human systems, the NDIS, the commissions, the officials, but on His provision. Seek first peace with Him and holiness, without which no one sees the Lord. When you make that your true aim, external peace will find its proper place. Do not be overwhelmed by many requirements; pray, and then release the outcome. If your house remains unchanged, if the bills press heavily, if sleep does not come quickly, endure as those who know that the day of the Lord comes suddenly, like the flood in Noah’s time. Those who live in luxury and insist on perfect comfort are often caught unaware. So let your wait be marked not by frantic demands but by the quiet trust that the God who feeds His children sees your need. He may not answer on your timetable, but He will give you the rest that matters, peace with Him, which quiets the soul in every circumstance.
The very delays and burdens you face may become a means of healing. The physician amputates the diseased part to save the body; the general scatters those who conspire in mischief. What you perceive as an endless tangle of complaints and requirements might be God’s way of leading you to a simplicity you would not otherwise embrace. He often allows tribulation to draw us nearer to Himself, that we might learn to rely not on human systems, the NDIS, the commissions, the officials, but on His provision. Seek first peace with Him and holiness, without which no one sees the Lord. When you make that your true aim, external peace will find its proper place. Do not be overwhelmed by many requirements; pray, and then release the outcome. If your house remains unchanged, if the bills press heavily, if sleep does not come quickly, endure as those who know that the day of the Lord comes suddenly, like the flood in Noah’s time. Those who live in luxury and insist on perfect comfort are often caught unaware. So let your wait be marked not by frantic demands but by the quiet trust that the God who feeds His children sees your need. He may not answer on your timetable, but He will give you the rest that matters, peace with Him, which quiets the soul in every circumstance.
