Article February 4, 2019 Issue

Waves of peace

Susan Oakes

Peace is the consciousness of God’s presence and power, which are everywhere and for all time. It isn’t just the absence of turmoil. True and enduring spiritual peace is a powerful condition, and is always available to us. It cuts through superficial, material perceptions and enables us to think and pray clearly. Whether we are thinking about our own particular situation or about our families, friends, churches, government, or the world, we can be confident that the underlying spiritual reality for every one of us points to peace.

I once had a compelling lesson about the spiritual nature of peace during a sailing vacation with my husband. While we were on land, my husband and I went for a run. Suddenly we found ourselves closely pursued by a vicious-looking watchdog. As we leaped over a wide hedge to get away, I fell, wrenching my back. I was in a lot of pain, and my husband lovingly prayed with me as we made our way back to the boat.

The need for healing was urgent. In a few hours, we were to make an overnight crossing in what were expected to be extremely strong winds—potentially treacherous conditions. Plus, we had a deadline to meet. My husband felt prepared for these conditions and confident that our boat was sturdy enough for heavy winds and waves. But I was pretty scared about how I could find healing during the long night watches in the midst of hazardous winds and heavy seas.

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