Day 5 - Issue 26
John 14:27 NLT
'I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.'
As a child the word ‘don’t’ proved an almost irresistible invitation to do! If my dad said, “Don’t touch!” an irresistible urge rose within me to touch the forbidden item. And so here as I read Jesus’ words, “don’t be troubled or afraid”, I find myself wondering what there is to be troubled about, if there isn’t something I already fear.
Although an early riser by habit, I am at times woken at a time too early even for me. Returning to sleep I know will prove impossible, although I have a crack at it for good measure. Where once I got frustrated, I now get up and make a cup of tea. The reason sleep proves elusive is that something is troubling me, something I can’t let go of. The more I try to put it out of my mind, the stronger it returns to bother me. Attempting to pray, I am continuously distracted by my stream of thought.
Here Jesus gives no formula for recovery of sleep, nor any solutions to what to do with my troubles and fears. What he suggests is that I find his gift of peace of mind and heart. Easier said than done! I’ve discovered for me it’s a question of acknowledging the source and substance of my anxiety. I may need to make a note to reassure my mind that I have acknowledged next steps. I must then accept that there is nothing I can do in the moment to alleviate the source of my anxiety. I need to accept that I can only occupy the present moment and the substance of that fear is some way in the future. Today indeed has its own troubles; I am using unnecessary angst trying to solve tomorrow’s troubles, today.
Now my restless nights simply offer me a chance to drink an extra cup of tea, sink into my armchair, acknowledge I can do little about my problems, and take some time in prayer and reading. I may be sleepier that day, but I am not driven by anxiety.
QUESTION: Do you struggle when your mind is wrestling with apparently unresolved issues?
PRAYER: Lord, help me find your peace and guidance with all that I worry about.
