“Lord, make me to be a man of peace and quiet action.”
I woke up this morning with those words etched in my mind. I had been praying them repeatedly in my dream. I don’t remember much else from the dream, but those words stuck in my mind. It’s not something I’ve prayed for before. I lay thinking about it for a moment and then decided I had better write it down in case I fell back asleep and forgot all about it.
After jotting the prayer down in my notes, I looked at the clock and realized it was probably unnecessary. It was 5:30 and I rarely sleep later than that anymore, I was still glad to have it written down.
I rolled out of bed and began to slowly get ready for the day, contemplating the prayer. In my head, it conjured an image of green pastures and a shepherd’s staff — peace and purpose.
Let me be peaceful with those around me, in my walk, and in my heart. Help me be a peacemaker in others’ relationships as well as my own. Give me the peace of mind that only truly comes from walking with the Lord. I’ve known the despair of walking on my own, give me peace.
I must have needed the prayer, it’s proven to be a balm for me multiple times already. The weather is hot, and I’m tired and emotionally drained, and it hasn’t been my day/week/month or even my year. So when my coworker gave me a sharp comment, and a lady cut ahead of me in line at the gas station, I was ready to respond in anger. Instead, that prayer ran through my head, and I bit my tongue. I’d like to say I turned these into positive interactions in some way, but I let it go, and that was enough.
I want to know what quiet action looks like, I want to live that out in my life. Give me the strength to move when I need to move, give me the courage, give me the understanding to know the proper course. Perhaps most importantly, give me quiet humility in all that I do.
I don’t know what you’re praying today, I hope you’re leaning on the Lord and trusting in his promises. If you can spare a minute and say a prayer for me along these lines, I would appreciate it, and perhaps you can make this your prayer for tomorrow.
“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.”
-I Peter 3:8-9 (NASB)
