Thankful for Peace Found in the Tensions of Life

Peace. It’s what everyone wants, especially beauty queens.

Peace. For many years it seemed invasive to me. I thought a day, a circumstance, an action, a person, a prayer, a moment, an event or something would make it happen. I thought if only I could get all the planets of my world aligned in a certain way then I would have peace.

With time I’ve come to realize that endless pursuit of perfection was bringing stress, not peace.

Peace. It is possible, but not as I thought before.

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Today I’m thankful for peace… especially when found in the tensions of life. 

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Over the past few years, I’ve changed my eating habits to take better care of my body.

I’m thankful for the peace I’ve found in that tension…
by saying no to good-tasting, familiar, but unhealthy foods,
I feel better and have more energy then I thought possible..

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Sometimes relationships have been a challenge for me. At times, I’ve felt like a failure as a wife, mother, friend, sister, daughter and more because I couldn’t be everything for everyone.

I’m thankful for the peace I’ve found in that tension…
by realizing I didn’t have to lose myself or change the other person,
but instead I need to allow them to be them and me to be me.

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After surviving a life-threatening accident, I spent years depressed because I didn’t know how to live with my new normal … pain, limitations and a deformed leg.

I’m thankful for the peace I’ve found in that tension…
by celebrating all the good that happened,
while being honest about the disappointments I now live with. 

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Post-accident, when my pain was severe, all the pain and suffering of the world overwhelmed me to the point of feeling helpless, because I knew others dealt with much more than I did.

I’m thankful for the peace I’ve found in that tension…
by realizing I can’t prevent or stop everyone’s pain and suffering,
but I can make life better for a few children around the world by sponsoring them.

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As I wrote about in a guest post at Rachel Held Evans’ site… I’ve been in a spiritual/religious funk and I have more questions and doubts than ever.

I’m thankful for the peace I’ve found in that tension…
by accepting that there will be mysteries in life I don’t understand,
while continuing to search and explore for a path that works for me.

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What are you thankful for today?
And how do you find peace in the tension of life? 
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  • Brhinehart

    I am thankful for friends and family and Janet I agree with all of your thoughts.
    God wants us to be happy and we must find happiness in every day -it is there if we just look. 
    Right now I am thankful the stuffing is in the turkey and they are both in the oven. I am off for a walk-my treat to myself today.

    Happy Thanksgiving !

  • Insanelyserene

    For me, gratitude is a doorway to another source of information than my limited mind. I go through the door when I can find the faith to leap into the unknown.

  • http://www.madebydenise.net Denise Smedley

    Love this.  Peace is where it’s at.  Seriously.  That is something I’ve learned soooo very recently, like in the last year or so..

    I started to notice that nothing I could ever want was “enough” for me.  I started to notice that I was constantly in pursuit of something & not in a good way – like pursuing goals.  It was more like I was never happy with where I was at.

    I’ve learned so much about feeling at peace with the present, still learning & getting better at it, but it truly is a gift to learn that.  To be at peace with your now, no matter what.  Definitely something to be thankful for if you find it.

    Lovely post :)

    • http://www.JanetOberholtzer.com Janet Oberholtzer

      You are so right … feeling at peace with the present is truly a gift.  Glad you are finding it … because it makes life better!

  • http://kclanderson.com KCLAnderson (Karen)

    I’ve sort of come to the conclusion that true peace doesn’t
    exist unless we’re dead…I was hanging out with my sister last weekend and
    we were talking about the fact that our father is now truly at peace and it
    occurred to me that life isn’t
    about absolute 100% peace all the time…if it were, we’d be dead! And so, in
    order to have some peace, we must accept that life, as imperfect as it is, is for the living…and in so doing, we find peace…for a time. Just another way of saying what you said so eloquently in this post.I saw this quote today and thought it would be appropriate here: Joy is peace dancing and peace is joy at rest. ~ F. B. Meyer

    • http://www.JanetOberholtzer.com Janet Oberholtzer

      Love that quote – thanks for sharing!

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