“Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God.
MATTHEW 5:9 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mat.5.9.AMP

Many people who get to know me well often comment on the peace or calmness that I have within.

They say ‘ Mags you’re so calm, you have this inner peace’

Some think that its just a personality trait and that inner peace can’t be cultivated.

That is partially true , some people are fortunate to have very calm personalities or they may exude an outer calm and be a raging torrent of fear or anger within, that’s what in the trade we call passive aggressive!

I have found that the peace I have within, is there to be used as gift for others, it is partially my personality, but also I’ve cultivated it over decades through spiritual practice.

When I ponder the words of Jesus or the Psalmists or philosophers past and present there are many wise words to be found.

Words that when put into practice, one can digest and actually cultivate into living words within.

Then the Peace that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds, as Jesus said it would.

Our daily needs are simple we need food, shelter,clothing, work, creative outlets, education, love and security.

To be able to function in all of these areas we need to feel a sense of ‘well-being’, a presence of calm, a bud of hope that will spring up in the inside of us and provide us with a river or spring of peace within.

Inner peace is transformative, as it is a vehicle to enable you to not only enjoy you’re own life but to enable others to live their best life too.

There are many programmes and practices available to encourage and develop inner calm and peacefulness but many are only temporary fillers.

I believe that most people want to find a permanent filler, one that won’t disappear when it’s needed most especially during times of crisis or stress.

There are many meditative and mindful practices available through Eastern philosophies or Western psychologies. All have value and a place in our lives for development of inner peace.

I personally find mindfulness transformative, I see the neuroscience behind it and it actually works. I am not a yogic practitioner,but no doubt the exercises and mindfulness of this ancient practice also work physically and mentally.

I have one super power that is sometimes neglected or forgotten or unknown and that is the peace of the Holy Spirit, which in basic terms is God’s presence.

I am aware we live in an age of many god’s, but I’m referring to ‘Yeshua’ the Hebrew Christian Saviour known as Jesus, Christians believe that He died and was resurrected, but not many people realise that He promised to leave us a comforter, a counsellor who is know as The Holy Spirit.

This amazing gift of the Holy Spirit provides us with an inner peace that doesn’t leave us, we may become distressed, upset, angry or afraid but the ‘ One who sticks closer than a brother’ will never leave us or give up on us as others would do.

That’s when we know we have a super power within us , not as the world sees super powers such as Putin or Trump or Kim Yong Jung!

This super power is super sensitive, not pushy or showy, but gentle and well, yes, peaceful.

Cultivating inner peace means thinking differently, looking at the world differently, regarding yourself differently.

Practicing meditation by reading the peaceful words of Jesus Christ of the Bible or the challenging words of the Old Testament Biblical psalmist or the intellectually stimulating words of the philosophers, Sartre, Confucius, Plato and Aristotle.

All have value and meaning, develop you’re inner critic to identify what you believe what values are yours and how you can change as a person, then you’re inner life will reflect in you’re outer life.

What’s on the inside shines out, if you harbour bitterness it will show, if you steam with anger it will hiss out !

If you feel envious or jealous the ‘green- eyed monster’ will show itself.

But if you cultivate thankfulness, gratitude, love, hope,joy,kindness and wanting the best for others it too will exude from you and you’re life will blossom.

The rivers of peace will flow like a stream, or a gentle flood affecting those around you, cultivating and producing an atmosphere of peace and calm.

It’s contagious, it takes time, it doesn’t come naturally but it can be maintained and you too can become a maker and maintainer of Peace.

Margaret Dexter-Lewis

11th June 2019 7am