Keep your eyes on the prince of peace, the one who doesn't cling to his divine power; the one who refuses to turn stones into bread, jump from great heights, and rule with great power; the one who says, "Blessed are the poor, the gentle, those who mourn, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; blessed are the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness". See the one who touches the lame, the crippled and the blind; the one who speaks words of forgiveness and encouragement; the one who dies alone, rejected, and despised. Keep your eyes on him who becomes poor with the poor, weak with the weak, and who is rejected with the rejected. The one, Jesus, is the source of all peace.
Where is his peace to be found? The answer is surprising but it is clear. In weakness. Few people are telling us this truth, but there is peace to be found in our own weakness, in those places of our hearts where we feel most broke, most insecure, most in agony, most afraid. Why there? Because in manipulating our weakness our familiar ways of controlling and manipulating our world are being stripped away and we are forced to let go from doing muhc, thinking much, and relying on our self-sufficiency. Right there where we are most vulnerable, the peace that is not of this world is mysteriously hidden.
- Henri Nouwen, Finding My Way Home
_____
I wonder how often I am persecuted by experiences beyond my control. I wonder how many times I persecute others. Do I persecute others because of my weakness? Do others persecute me because of theirs?
It's all an intertwined knot of scars these past few days but unlike all the other days I've gone through this way, I've chosen to just rely on peace. The one I can never fathom or grasp. And though I will never understand the silence of hope and the shadows that joy hides in these circumstances I have to overcome.
I am staying on truth. Waiting for all the falsity to fall away.
Where is his peace to be found? The answer is surprising but it is clear. In weakness. Few people are telling us this truth, but there is peace to be found in our own weakness, in those places of our hearts where we feel most broke, most insecure, most in agony, most afraid. Why there? Because in manipulating our weakness our familiar ways of controlling and manipulating our world are being stripped away and we are forced to let go from doing muhc, thinking much, and relying on our self-sufficiency. Right there where we are most vulnerable, the peace that is not of this world is mysteriously hidden.
- Henri Nouwen, Finding My Way Home
_____
I wonder how often I am persecuted by experiences beyond my control. I wonder how many times I persecute others. Do I persecute others because of my weakness? Do others persecute me because of theirs?
It's all an intertwined knot of scars these past few days but unlike all the other days I've gone through this way, I've chosen to just rely on peace. The one I can never fathom or grasp. And though I will never understand the silence of hope and the shadows that joy hides in these circumstances I have to overcome.
I am staying on truth. Waiting for all the falsity to fall away.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment