A Peace That Surpasses Understanding

God speaks to us in some pretty amazingly simple yet utterly effective ways.

We can debate about it – whether or not God literally speaks to us - but anyone with an abiding heart and an ear to hear has discerned from time to time a most succinctly authoritative, urgent and even commanding word like YES, NO, NOW, WAIT or GO!

I was recently on a trip to the mid-west to meet the founders of an organization called Truth @ Work. Once there I would also receive several days of intensive training to be a facilitator of their Christian Business Roundtable Groups program here in New England. The trip was the capstone of six months of due diligence on their part and mine. I was excited and committed – looking forward to meeting the people I had come to know and respect for their vision and passion bringing a life and business changing experience to Christian business leaders.

In the days leading up to the trip several personal complications and issues seemed to pop up and cloud my focus on the trip. I was peppered with doubt and second guessing of my decision to invest in the trip and the cost of the training both financially and personally. My travel plans had me arriving the evening prior to my scheduled appointment. I went through the motions of air travel, took a shuttle from the airport, checked into my room and ate a quick meal at a restaurant a short walk from my hotel. My mind was in a haze. It was very hot and muggy and I went to sleep with mild indigestion and a bit of gathering anxiety.

The next morning I awoke in the predawn darkness disoriented and under spiritual attack. What was I doing here? This was a mistake. I was not qualified. My motives were all wrong. This would never fly in New England. No one will care. No one wants or needs this. I’m wasting my time. I should be more responsible and look for a real job. The accusations and projections were relentless. I took it to prayer. The next thing I knew I was putting on my jogging gear and was headed out the door.

The sun had not yet risen when I started to run. This would be my morning devotional. The plan was simple; jog out twenty minutes along the industrial park road that ran in front of the hotel and back - praying all the way. I quickly discovered that the sidewalk ran intermittently on both sides of the busy road and I had to keep crossing the boulevard or jog on and off the curb as traffic went by. All the while I was praying for peace, encouragement, an overcoming spirit and soundness of mind – a word.

After only five or ten minutes my legs were burning and a I had a growing cramp in my side. My mouth was dry. This wasn't working. I turned back and was about to give up when a side street leading into the industrial park presented itself and I took a right turn onto it. Not in my plan. There was no traffic. I prayed. That road came to a "T" so I took a right and I followed it vaguely keeping track of my direction and position relative to the main road. I prayed.

Lost in prayer. After a short while that road ended at an overgrown area and I realized that I would have to take another right, cross a grassy section, a few office building parking lots and go over a small hill in order to intersect the main road that I believed was on the other side of that hill. I had stopped praying.

I was loose and warmed up now and the off-road jogging was invigorating. I noted one or two cars parked in the lot – their early bird occupants dozing, reading their tablets, buried in their smart phones or listening to “whatever” through earbuds while drinking their beverage of choice. Then I was climbing that hill that now seemed a little steeper than I had thought it might be. I was wondering how close I would be to the main road when I came to the top of that hill when something suddenly erupted into the air right in front of me!

A big bird! And I mean BIG! A wing span as large as my outstretched arms. I thought I was being attacked and cowered back then realized that the bird was launching almost straight up pumping hard with its wings. Fifty feet or so into the air a feather separated from the beast and appeared to levitate in mid air as its owner, hesitating for a split second, continued to rise. The feather just floated there as if attached to a string. I think both myself and the bird (a hawk?) were watching that feather. I wanted that feather.

It occurred to me that maybe the bird wanted to reclaim its feather and would fight me for it. But before long it flew off a little way and began to soar over an overgrown pasture-like field. After a mesmerizing while the feather finally floated down and landed at my feet. I picked it up and marveled at its beauty while before me its owner did undulating figure-eights around the trees that dotted that pristine pasture-like field. Just then, the sun peaked over another distant hill as it rose and a peace that surpasses understanding came over me. To my back an industrial park; before me a moment of creation orchestrated to perfection with me in mind. Not one word.

Later that week in a still moment I received three words – THIS IS IT.

The feather - in my travel Bible

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

All the best!

Bill