“We have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered. 2 Chronicles 14:7
There are some lessons that it seems I must learn repeatedly. Today’s lesson on finding peace is one of those. Now admittedly, I don’t struggle a lot with anxiety for no reason. I do, however, sometimes find myself feeling a lot of self-inflicted angst. For instance, in my drug use, I was constantly worried about withdrawal and where to find my next pills. I was also continually worrying about discovery – What if everyone finds out? This led to a lot of sleepless nights and desperate prayers to God for peace. But I could never hope to experience the peace of God while I was clinging to the thing that was causing my anxiety. This is like asking God to take away the burning pain while I’m holding a hot pan straight from the stove. If I want my hand to stop burning, and if I want to be free of the anxiety, I must let go of the source of my pain and angst.
This is the lesson of today’s passage. In the story, King Asa led the kingdom of Judah, following God in all he did. He got rid of all idols and worship of foreign gods and he led his people in worshipping the one true God. In response, God gave him peace on every side. The king and his people recognized that which was causing their conflict and they abandoned it, thereby embracing the peace of God.
I’m not suggesting all anxiety is our fault. I know that some people suffer from anxiety for no reason. I am suggesting though that we have healthy behaviors that promote peace and unhealthy behaviors that promote chaos. When we have a bad day at work and we deal with it by taking a drink, looking at porn, overeating, over-shopping, or by indulging in anger, we compound our troubles, embracing angst. When, however, we abandon those self-destructive behaviors and choose a healthy coping mechanism by exercising, praying, meditating, going to counseling, or talking it out with a loved one, we embrace peace.
When I’m feeling the angst, my first impulse is to reach for some immediate gratification that will help momentarily, but which will make things worse in the end. I should, however, take my angst to God, asking him what I must do with it. Only in doing so, do I find the peace that I’ve been looking for all along.