Day 37 - Mindfulness and Peace - Rest in The Lord

What is mindfulness? In essence, mindfulness is being present and attentive to the current moment without judgement. When in the city, take note of the architecture, sounds, and street furniture. When in the country, listen to dawn chorus, identify trees, and explore footpaths. Become absorbed in your surroundings and live the feeling of mindfulness. More importantly, take note of traffic, loose paving slabs, and potholes. Be safe but let your hearts be uplifted.

This awareness is encouraged in 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV). Peter writes,

“Be alert and of sober mind.”

This urges Christians to be attentive to their surroundings and to the state of their mind. Unlike secular mindfulness, which often focuses on self, biblical mindfulness centres on God. It is an intentional focus on His presence, His word, and His work in one’s life.

Moving our focus to the indoors, I have often see the following quote,

“I feared many things in this life, most of which never happened.”

This quote, attributed to Rudyard Kipling, is on the wall leading to my local GP practice consultation rooms. It helps some patients to relax before their appointment. I say attributed to Kipling because there is some controversy about the provenance of this statement. It is probably a version of Stoic philosopher Seneca's quote: "We suffer more often in imagination than in reality". I would summarise both statements as, we worry more than we should, and this leads to more stress and a less peaceful life.

But what is peace? What thoughts or images are conjured up in your mind when you read or hear this word? Does peace mean; an absence of hostilities, tranquillity, a handshake during a service, shalom, or even somewhere you can relax and be yourself? Does being peaceful reduce your anxiety? We are told not to be anxious in Philippians 4:6-7(NIV).

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Wow, what a wonderful promise. Not only can we realise the peace of God, but we are told how to attain this peace and relief from anxiety. I am not saying we will be worry free, but we will be less anxious. Do we have the courage to grasp hold of that truth and apply it to our lives?

Prayer

Father, please help us to see life from your perspective. You know and see all things, so you know what will happen to us before we learn about a potential problem and consider the options. Help us to be mindful of what is going on around so we can get our priorities right. Let us know and experience the power and wisdom of your comforting Holy Spirit. May we lean on the Holy Spirit and learn more about Jesus and you during these times. Amen.

Michael Rolton