Advent - Week 2, Day 6: Peace Is With You

What2Say2Day? My quest to find peace is becoming more of a journey in being the one people seek peace from. Yesterday I found myself listening to a couple of my high school students tell me how much stress they were under. I feel for them with their multiple projects due, semester finals starting today, grades not where they need them to be and only a few days to get them up, fights at home with parents, teachers pushing them to the brink, boyfriends and girlfriends not being supportive, etc. As I sat and listened to these young people pour out their hearts all I could hear in the back of my mind were the Psalmists words; "Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts" (Psalm 85:8). Again, I find myself in the humble position of being the one who represents God and has the awesome opportunity to help others begin to understand who God is and how God loves them no matter what. These teens will usually mention somewhere in the conversation that they don't feel like the efforts they put into things are worthy. They tell me that they aren't good enough and don't know why they even try. My reply was, is, and will always be, that they - you - are perfect. The times you're going through right now will pass, and you will become a stronger person because of it. Until then it's important to know that you are loved, that there will always be someone who cares for you just the way you are, that there is someone whose love will never stop. This someone is God, and in God you will find the peace you seek. All you need to do is open your hearts, and your minds, and let God in.