“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 ESV
“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” —Hermann Hesse
We learn to self soothe as infants with a favorite blanket, rocking or (gasp!) sucking our thumb. My son, many years ago at about two years of age, needed surgery for a runaway cyst in his throat. It was a very minor birth defect that showed up as a red lump in the middle of his throat but could erupt at any time. The surgery went fine but my little guy was grumpy, in pain and scared of all the noise and activities at the hospital. However, he had a favorite blanket. I was soooo embarrassed to bring it to the hospital because it was full of holes, definitely unsanitary and very faded. But grumpy guy wanted it bad! Over and over the word blanket was shouted, whispered and cried throughout the halls of the hospital. So, I sucked up my pride, brought him his blanket and hoped the nurses didn’t see this rag. He perched himself stubbornly in a little, red wagon, courtesy of the hospital, and there he stayed, blanket and all, until it was time for him to come home.
We still need to self soothe. Yes, we’re adults but we’re also children of God. Unfortuately, we don’t always have self soothe in mind when we’re in the middle of an argument for the tenth time, the boss calls us into his office with the door closed, or one more stuck in traffic commute drains all hope from our soul. How to soothe ourselves? We can’t grab a blanket or a bubble bath. We’re in the middle of it!
Refamiliarize yourself with your favorite moment, person or experience. A wonderful, God-filled picture of pure peace just for you. Some picture the 23rd Psalm. Some hold an image of a favorite grandparent, pet or flower. Whatever brings you peace. Grab it. Hold on. Don’t let go. And breathe. My go-to when stressed is visualizing autumn, with the earthy smell of leaves, blazing color and vibrant blue sky. A touch of Paradise!
Musings
No matter how stressful or fearful the situation, Our Father has gifted us with something special, something soothing, something peaceful to bring us back to the moment with peace. When I read the quote by Vicktor Frankl, held hostage in a Nazi German war camp, I’m brought up short: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way” — Man’s Search for Meaning.
Prayer
Dear Father,
Thank you for the many, many comforts you give us in the middle of this upside-down world. Thank you for your Word that offers comfort, blessings and promise. Help us to visit a peaceful place in the middle of turmoil and to remember Jesus’ words, “My peace I give to you, not as the world gives.”
Amen.
Prayers and Musings of a Black Sheep 