Knowing peace in such difficult times seems akin to trying to keep a rubber raft afloat on turbulent waters.  As hard as we try, the constant stream of waves can leave us feeling hopeless and too exhausted to maintain balance and clarity.  This is how we lose sight of the horizon that we are headed towards. 

There is one vital component that when present will grant you great success, or, if absent will thwart your every effort preventing you from directing your raft ashore. Fortunately, that component is not only something that can be found within, it is the very nature of your soul this earthly journey was meant to reveal.

Peace is inner contentment, serenity or freedom from disagreements.  Peace is the absence of war, conflict, or hostilities. War is being in a state of hostility, rivalry, conflict, active antagonism or contention.

Here we can start to see that the relationship between peace and war is mutually exclusive. If there is war, or any kind of contention or resistance then there is no peace. Likewise, if there is tranquility, serenity and harmony there can be no war. 

How do we then cultivate this sense of placid calmness and inner contentment so we can truly know peace? The first vital component is acceptance. The second essential element in completing this equation is appreciation.   

The first step in cultivating peace is to accept every situation, everything and everyone in your life.  Acceptance does not imply that you endlessly endure a difficult situation or painful circumstance.  The type of acceptance I am speaking of here is the act of not resisting whatever is, in your life. In other words, if you do not resist there will be stillness. Wherever there is stillness, there is clarity and wherever there is clarity there is wisdom.

We have been so accustomed to ‘do’ whatever is necessary to change or remove discontentment or pain that we forget the vital ingredients of acceptance and thanks.  If we disregard acceptance and thanks there will be no foundation from which peace can rest upon.  Start laying the groundwork for your life to be filled with the peace and tranquility your soul deserves to experience.  The soul is on earth to know itself as one with All That Is and to know its true nature. By creating space in your heart and mind for acceptance you are allowing the true nature of your soul to be revealed. Your soul is that part of you that is perfect, whole and complete. 

If we cannot see that we play a part in our experiences we are most likely to resist and become angered and frustrated by happenings in our lives.  But if we can see the connection between our lives, our creations and the soul wanting to evolve and know what it really is, then we can see that everything has a divine purpose and reason. 

See the divinity in everything around you, regardless of the lack of godliness you may perceive. Choose to accept your conditions and reality as opportunities for growth. Accept, give thanks opening the door to greater wisdom and with that wisdom make changes. Make lasting changes built on a foundation that is the very essence of your soul.

Reverend Cherise Thorne