I came across this quote of C.S. Lewis today, a day on which I am once again at odds with God in regard to His peace, which I had received from Him earlier in the week regarding a matter, but which my wandering mind has managed to mess up.
Here is the quote:
“Though we struggle against things because we are afraid of them, it is often the other way round—we get afraid because we struggle. Are you struggling, resisting? Don’t you think our Lord says to you ‘Peace, child, peace. Relax. Let go. Underneath are the everlasting arms. Let go, I will catch you. Do you trust me so little?’” C.S. Lewis
What do we struggle against, thereby instilling fear?
Family gatherings? Our being the scapegoat or outcast in our family? Holidays? Winter? Sickness? Gaining weight? Having an accident? Rejection? A political outcome which we don’t agree with and believe we cannot live with?
Think about it: because we struggle so in our attempt to prevent something coming true, the very daunting nature of our struggle infuses us with a fear of the outcome.
We struggle, which can be a form of wanting and needing to control.
The struggle becomes one of self versus another entity or person, and creates fear because we’ve put a value on either our ability to influence outcomes, or the very outcome itself (which can be magnified, in turn, by our sometimes dramatic imaginations and craving for excitement, even negative excitement).
“I just can’t live with outcome A,” we say.
“Life will never be the same with outcome B.”
“I will never get relief from this situation. Everything I do fails. I'm running out of ideas.”
“So and so needs to listen to me or else such and such is sure to happen.”
“The struggle regarding such and such is so difficult, I am afraid…..(fill in the blank).
To say “let go and let God” is no remedy and I wince every time I hear that phrase so patly tossed into the air like so many rose petals at a wedding.
What C.S.Lewis is advocating is a relationship with God that is built up over years of going through thick and thin together, of growing in the knowledge of who, exactly, God is and the experiencing of personal transformations which God alone is capable of bringing about.
In this context with God, we one day find ourselves trusting Him implicitly.
We no longer desire to trust ourselves, our situation, our country, our government, our family or our friends for what God alone is capable of: and that is our peace.
I can confide in a dear friend. I can cry with my spouse and share my deepest frustrations. I can vote. I can advocate.
But none of that can provide the peace that goes beyond understanding and removes fear: the peace of God that arrives with our trust.
When fear is removed through His peace, struggle, too, disappears, replaced by perseverance and confidence.
We trust Him in the moment, and live those moments out, one at a time.
copyright Barb Harwood
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
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