DAILY DEVOTIONALS for JULY
Thursday, July 17
- Scripture: John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
- Reflection: We must talk about different forms of peace. In the outer and public realm, peace is not merely the absence of conflict. Peace has civil, cultural, economic, social, political and military implications and expressions. This form of peace is contrasted by God’s spiritual peace.
On one hand, an article offered by Harvard Divinity School states (full article: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/what-we-do/our-approach/peace-violence), “Just peace is an aspiration that envisions a world where all forms of violence— direct, structural, cultural, and epistemic—are significantly diminished, unleashing full human and planetary flourishing … just peace is not an end point or outcome. It is an aspiration realized through a process of critical reflection and peace building.” It is contrasted with structural violence. The Harvard article explains, “Often referred to as the “Father of Peace Studies,” Norwegian theorist Johan Galtung … developed a three pronged typology of violence that represents how a confluence of malleable factors merge in particular cultural/historical moments to shape the conditions for the promotion of violence (and, by inference, peace) to function as normative.”
Over time, different writers and theologians have expanded upon what the world’s peace includes. In 1954, Dr. Martin Luther King famously said, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” In 1945, columnist Dorothy Thompson wrote, “Peace is not the mere absence of war. It is a positive condition of justice. It is the sister of charity and mercy. It is the offspring of honesty and truth. It is the triumph of principle.” In 1944, Elizabeth Tipton Derieux wrote, “Tomorrow’s peace must be more than the absence of armed conflict. It must be just, creative and cooperative. The weak must be protected from exploitation, the brutal strong curbed, and a sympathetic appreciation developed for the races of mankind.” In 1964 Whitney M Young Jr. stated, [it] is “not the absence of conflict, tensions, or even riots” but rather “It is the presence of justice and equal opportunity to share in the rewards as well as the opportunities of a truly great society.” Expanding on his theme in 1957, Dr. Martin Luther King said, “I come not to bring this old peace which is merely the absence of tension; I come to bring a positive peace which is the presence of justice and the Kingdom of God. Peace is not merely the absence of something. but it’s the presence of something.”
Inner peace (different from but not antithetical to structural world peace) as offered by God, becomes a spiritual state of being. It is not influenced by external stimuli and events, though such spiritual peace can help us remain rooted, centered, and grounded in the midst of challenges. It informs how we respond to external crises and events, yet it grows from a different source. Such peace arises, in part, from growing in connection to God. An article in calm explains, “Inner peace is a state of tranquility where you feel at ease with yourself, others, and the world around you. It’s about being fully present and comfortable in your skin. less impacted from anxiety, worry, and stress. … you accept who you are — your strengths, flaws, desires, dreams — everything that makes you uniquely you. You also feel more accepting of the world around you and the situations that are unfolding so you’re less negatively impacted by anxiety, worry, and stress. Inner peace is essentially equanimity in action.”
How do we cultivate inner, spiritual peace? The article from calm recommends mindfulness practices that range from meditation, visualization, and breathing techniques to accessing nature, forms of self-care and a gratitude practice. Additional approaches to developing spiritual peace, from an explicitly Christian approach, can include prayer and meditation, learning and listening with wisdom texts such as Biblical scripture, attentiveness and gratitude, celebration and praise through song and creative arts, developing attitudes of trust and vulnerability, committing to acts of service and kindness, cultivating love and compassion for self and others as children of God. Of course, the ultimate guide to inner peace involves following in the Way of God. - Spiritual Practice Prompt: Take a moment to focus on Jesus’ words, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” Let this phrase become a mantra, and take time to be silent and breathe while focusing on it. With each cycle of breathing a focus, drop one word or phrase. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give.” “Peace I leave with you; my peace.” “Peace I leave with you.” “Peace I leave.” “Peace.”
Song:
- “Paz” by Bethel Music: https://youtu.be/uT5iTEJVnFc?si=J13H9bgS3imeMtR1
Silence is helpful, but you don’t need it in order to find stillness. Even when there is noise, you can be aware of the stillness underneath the noise, of the space in which the noise arises. That is the inner space of pure awareness, consciousness itself. — Eckhart Tolle
July 17 Devotional