“Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.”
Within the past 24 hours a major hurricane (“Ike”) has struck the coastline near Galveston, Texas. Millions are without power and even more have had their world turned upside down.
What are you encountering in your life at this time? Do you feel as if you are being churned in the middle of a storm? What will it take to bring peace and tranquility to your heart?
Every time I am tempted to feel that I am enduring too much turmoil in my life, I stop and consider the apostle, Paul. What did he endure for the sake of the gospel? 2 Corinthians 11:24-26, “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move.”
These are only a few of the things Paul endured, yet he endured them with a joy that can only come from the Lord. Tranquility is not that the storms will always be calm, but that we will find peace in the middle of the storms.
Paul prayed for the Lord to remove the thorns from his life, but here is what Paul says about it; 2 Corinthians 12:8-9, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Wow! That is powerful and provides the answer for us to find tranquility in the most violent of storms. It is not what we have done or must do—it is what Christ has already done for us.
The storms of life may take the form of actual weather, but more often they will be loss of health, wealth or personal relationships. Only you will know what storm you are experiencing.
Today’s Scripture speaks of tranquility in a manner that suggests contentment. Rather than seeking more and more of the “things” of life, we must seek more and more of the Lord. The answer to tranquility is always the same—Jesus!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
Insights on John is part of the 15-volume Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary series. This newly revised and expanded edition draws on Gold Medallion Award–winner Chuck Swindoll’s 50 years of experience with studying and preaching God’s Word. His deep insight, signature easygoing style, and humor bring a warmth and practical accessibility not often found in commentaries.
ECPA Gold Award – Jesus taught with hands-on lessons and illustrations. TheHands-On Bible uses the same experience-based learning to communicate God’s Word in an active, understandable way. With hundreds of fun, memorable activities, the Hands-On Bible is packed with activities and experiences that invite kids to crawl inside the Scriptures and do God’s Word!
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