Peace that Passes

I'm looking out my window at blue skies right now.


Nothing sinister to be noted.


We  had a flurry of snowflakes yesterday that caused my work and Caleb's school to be canceled.


Today I came in and was as productive as one can be when anticipating Snow-pocalypse.


As I'm anticipating the 8-12 inches we are going to get beginning tomorrow (y'all... wasn't there a time when forecasters were wrong? I'm clinging to that hope...) I'm also thinking of a lovely beach somewhere. The sun is warm on my face, and the waves are lapping my feet...


Although I told you yesterday that I'm not good at guided imagery, I'm willing to try.


Here's the thing. This snow forecast is a lot like life. I can plan to be off work for a week because we'll be snowed in...


but then the storm moves a little north or a little south and we don't have nearly the accumulation we were told we'd have.


And there I am, stuck, with nothing ready for class next week.


(Which, even though I am a procrastinator, is NOT the case.  In fact, I had stuff ready for next week last week. My dedication to my planner this semester has been a beautiful, beautiful thing... at least three weeks in.)


But in life, it's the same thing. We worry and plan and worry and plan...


and then NOTHING that we worried about comes to fruition.


But something totally unexpected happens, and because we had never considered that scenario, we have no clue what we're supposed to do.


Or we become paralyzed by all of those make believe worries and are unable to respond to any obstacle we face.


I'm a worrier, y'all. As in I come up with a million scenarios. I usually talk myself into not even starting something because I'm afraid I won't know how to finish it.


But that's not what God wants for me.


He tells us in His Word to be anxious for NOTHING.


Nothing- no storm, no unexpected event, no something you've worried about endlessly that probably will never take place.


Nope. Nothing.


So... how do we not worry?


Turn to Him. In everything. Pray and ask Him.  Tell Him what you need. Tell Him your worries. (From another verse, throw those cares right at Him like a great big ol' minnow to catch a fish.)


And when we do this? When we pray and seek Him and ask Him for His help?


He will give us peace.


Not just any peace.


Peace that passes all understanding.  You can't even fathom it... but it's there.


And it's a beautiful thing.