Peace or security

“There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared. It is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself completely to God's commandment. Wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of almighty God. Not trying to direct it for selfish purposes. Battles are won not with weapons, but with God. They are won when the way leads to the cross."

― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Security. Stability. Safety.  We are supposed to keep ourselves safe. This is true. But this isn't about that.

Security. Stability. Safety. This is not the way to peace. You can't have it both ways.

This week I have been leaning hard on God. And on the Word. And going deep in my Bonhoeffer devotional.  And I'm in one of those wondrous Wow! places. So many things I've been praying about are clicking into place. The unclear is becoming very clear. As Blackbeard said in Pirates of the Caribbean  "I find myself in a bewilderment."

I have been struggling. How can this chaos, this uncertainty, be so peaceful?  

Not sure of where God is sending us. Okay! We'll go where you send us. Wait? Okay! We'll wait.

Praying for my husband as he works hard, finding where God wants him to be. Yep. We're good. Better than we have ever been. We are close to each other and closer to God. 

Jude 1:2

Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

I'm no theologian. But I've listened to some amazing ones. And read them. And I've read God's word. So far I have not found where Jesus lived contrary to His teachings of peace. That being said, I don't recall a lot of Home Sweet Home time for Jesus while He was walking the earth either.

His disciples came from secure worlds. Safe worlds. Relatively stable worlds.  He asked for them to take nothing but what they wore to go and preach the gospel.  He asked them to leave their lives behind to follow Him. That security? That stability?  That safety?  In walking in faith it is a worldly construct. A safety net that is sticky. A web of human expectations for low risk faith.

Go boldly. Go with love. Be humble. Be wise. 

So here I am - and this is my struggle. This my voice challenge.  I hear my Lord, my Savior, telling me to trust Him. And I hear the world saying, Well are you SURE?

I hear my Lord saying, Do not doubt. 

So many times I've been talked out of my confidence in my faith for the reasons of security, stability, safety.  And so many times I've faced anger and fear when I did step out in faith. In small things and large. 

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.”

― William G.T. Shedd

So the harbor - the assumed safety, security, stability - is not what we are for.  We are for grand adventures on the wild open seas of life!  We are for setting our course on Jesus and sailing where His wind sends us!

Jo Ann asked us to think about God's voice in our lives.  I am usually ready with a post before the link is live.  I have been working on these thoughts all week!  I've been praying. And finding myself at odds with those who are tempted by the false stability of low risk faith.  I'm tired of the harbor!  

When you find your voice you will discover two things.  One is that some people who liked you silent will be angry. Two the ones who longed for your voice will be nothing less than encouraging to hear it again!  The latter are the ones who will be with you in peace.

Join us over at JoAnnFore.com for the link-up with your own blog post, your thoughts in the comment section or just by sharing.  I would love to hear your voice!