Shutting it off

Personal photo: this little monarch caterpillar surprised me with a small bubble of joy on a gloomy day! We find God’s peace when we turn off all the noise around us!

I lowered the phone from my hand, set it on the table beside me, and took a deep breath. Here I was again, sucked into everywhere but where I am, feeling a bit too melancholy for my own liking. Let's be honest. The world has been a terribly sad and angry and violent place for everyone. People love to hate, and the past several weeks have only seemed to amplify the voices. Everyone has had an opinion and shared it, everyone has spoken their piece, and by the end of the day, our ears are ringing with what everyone said, thought, and did about political violence and the turbulent current events.

I can't be the only one left with no words. With so much noise, it often feels like there aren't any words left to speak, no ears left to hear them, no actions that would really make a difference.

And then I look into my son's sleeping face in my arms. And I realize that I am wrong. There are so many things to say, to learn, to see, to do. Sometimes we just need to turn off all the noise so we can hear God's voice calling to us. It allows us to refocus on the little places where we can make a difference. And with the hum of the air conditioner next to me, the soft wisps of his hair fluttering against my arm, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest, I am brought to the exact moment I am in. And suddenly the weight of everything else feels a little lighter.

With so much going on recently, I have taken the time to pray, to pick up my Bible a little more often, to lean into the sunshine streaming through my window each morning, to hug my little boy extra close every day. I think we all need a breather, which is the heart of this article today. I have spent less and less time on social media in recent years (which is unfortunately reflected in my scarce posts on Sonshine Lane pages), but with senseless killings and the remembrance of 9/11, along with other current events, I have been finding myself logging in more than usual. It's hard to trust anything posted on social media anymore, and I have found myself weary with caution and worried about the future of our world. It's time for me to turn it off. I considered that there might be others wearing this worry like a heavy wool coat and feeling it itch and scratch our skin making us uncomfortable and stifled, and I wanted to bring it here to put a little ember of hope into your day today.

God sees the worry in our hearts, He hears the prayers crying for guidance and help, and He has our hearts in the palm of His mighty hand. We cannot possibly understand the unknowns of the future, but we must rely on our faith that He is good and that He is always good. Deuteronomy 31:8 encourages us: "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." This verse is crystal clear. We are told here that we need not fear the future because God is already there by the time we get there. He knows what is going to happen, He walks with us to where He has already been, and He navigates us through it. Additionally, we are told to not be discouraged. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but these are holy words, and reading them, knowing that they are from God is extremely comforting. He is not saying them just to be nice, but He is telling us these words to help us when we do feel discouraged. It lightens the weight of responsibility and frustration dramatically to know that God is speaking these words directly to us.

Matthew 5:48 reads "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." I love the Beatitudes, but this particular verse feels so powerful when we find ourselves disappointed and aching. Mourning and being sad are part of the human experience. We can mourn the passing of time, the passing of loved ones, we can mourn with others who are feeling the blade of sadness sharper than us, and we can mourn pets, friendships, and the ending of just about anything we experience. It makes us human, it reminds us that we are capable of feeling the highs and lows of life. As hard as it is to be in one of those valleys, it allows us to remember this verse and seek that comfort. We are blessed because we feel more than many others. Too many people in this world have desensitized themselves from so many emotions that we can consider what a blessing it is to be sensitive to the horrors of Satan's work. There is no doubt in the second half of this verse from Matthew. We will be comforted. We will not drown in this misery of uncertainty and sadness, but instead we will be comforted.

This comfort can come in many different forms, but I have learned that it is rarely found online, on social media, in the voices that come through the screen. Instead, God's calming hand often finds mine when I feel the fresh breeze against my face, when I hear my son's laughter fill the room, when I see a twinkle of amusement in my husband's eye. I find God's peace in the smell of fresh baked bread, in the hug from my mom, in the hot water running over my face in the shower. I see God's mighty Hand working when I spot a monarch caterpillar along my house steps, when I fill my lungs to the brim with the cool September air, when I see my favorite birds at the birdfeeder. These are the places I find hope, the moments where God is most present, the times that I don't care about the news or the clock or the future. It happens when I shut off all the noise. It reminds me of John 14:27, which says "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." We cannot seek for His peace from the world, but instead must seek His peace from Him alone.

Our world today leaves little room for our own voice, let alone God's. When we find the courage to turn off all the noise and seek out the Lord, we can find that promised peace, we can let go of all the worry and sadness and fear for what the future might hold and lean into God's companionship, His almighty plan, His selfless comforting of His children. God is not taking us anywhere He has not already been, and He ensures us that He is here with each of us to comfort, guide, and soothe us along the way!