Peace Part 2
February 19, 2025
Peace Part 2
Having and keeping peace within ourselves is a wonderful state of being. Those who live spiritually and desire peace must surrender their burdens to a power beyond themselves. But to release our burdens, we must often also surrender our complete understanding and control of them. Then we can place the burdens in the care of a superior understanding. This superior understanding is that of the Divine.
Surrender puts aside much of our logic, knowledge, intuition, and strategies. However, to suspend our relied-upon methods of perceiving the world, and to also put aside our fears, takes great strength and faith. It is an act of moving from ego to soul. It is an act of moving from the seen to the unseen.
In times of uncertainty, loss, and stress, our ego rushes in to protect and defend us. If the ego is average to unhealthy, it naturally enlists its passion, avoidance, and fixation. These do not bring deep peace because they are only mental strategies that do not come from the depths of our soul. The deep peace that passes all understanding arises from the soul and permeates our entire being. Yet peace cannot arise unless the ego capitulates and relinquishes to the soul, who trusts the Divine’s understanding.
After we surrender our understanding to the Divine and invite peace into ourselves, the peace becomes a barrier of protection around our faith. This is explained in Christian scripture in Philippians 4:7, which says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
The surrender is sometimes symbolized by an outward ritual. Recently, a dear soul was very upset about a situation in his family. He couldn’t sleep or attend to life as usual. He vacillated between anger at this other person and guilt that he may have been the cause of it. He had no peace. After he surrendered the entire situation to the Divine, he ritualized the surrender by placing a rock underneath a tree. This symbolized leaving the burden behind.
Spiritual practice: Surrender something that burdens you and entrust it to the Higher Power. Every time the burden resurfaces, surrender it again. Try leaving the burden behind in a symbolic ritual. Journal this process and take note of the conscious will it takes to surrender our ego continually. Note the different levels of peace you feel during this process.
Self-inquiry: Why must we surrender our logic and understanding of a situation beyond our control to invite peace into our minds and hearts?
Dear God,
I pray to be filled with your peace even though I do not know how you will do it. Amen
