Peace Among Worldly Fear

I’ve read many a book by Wilfred Stinissen, but I guess I’ve had this one sitting on the shelf for a number of years.  I came across it recently, and with the time I now have alone, I’ve started reading its daily meditations.  Many are classic Stinissen, deep and soul reaching, and many --- though written many years ago --- seem to have been written for today.

I would normally write a review of books here, but I think I’ll find myself occasionally just quoting some of his meditations from this book in the future, like this one for today, May 9:

Peace Among Worldly Fear

If we were to ask people what their deepest, ongoing feeling is, I believe that many would answer: “I am afraid, I feel consumed by unrest and worry.”

Fear plagues a large segment of humanity.  To the individual, it often shows itself in nervousness, physical tension, sleeplessness.  Whether we want to or not, we are all children of our time, and none of us can expect to be completely spared this worldwide epidemic of fear.

None of us can close our eyes to the fact that there are serious reasons for fear.  We really don’t know where the world is headed.  A handful of people have the power to turn our world into a burning inferno – in a few places, this has already happened.  It isn’t surprising that a wave of fear is rushing over us all.

Nevertheless, the Bible teaches that the afflicted and anxious person can find peace in God, that God is a refuge and a bulwark in times of trouble, that God is the God of peace.  At the birth of Jesus, the angels proclaim peace on the earth (Lk 2:14).  Before Jesus leaves the disciples to return to the Father, he promises them his peace (Jn 14:27).

For the one who confidently surrenders to God, there is a way to peace in this fearful world.

The visible, outer world will become a world of peace only on the day when God creates a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21:1).  But your inner world can – already now, day by day --- be permeated by the peace of God.  It is difficult to reason how this happens.  Still, the more you grow in confidence and reliance, the more you will know this mysterious and divine peace.

In these times, this book would be a good one for everyone to read each day.