The Peace Lily pictured in this post is by Barbara Hamlin. Her friendship has been a long-time go-to peace offering in my life that I return to as often as possible.

As with this rain adorned lily, peace to me is like when I sit perfectly still on my back porch swing absorbing the ethereal beauty of my garden through the veil of rain. I know the backyard world is out there in front of me, but the edges are fuzzy, the colors are muted, and the birds are silent. Resting contemplatively, I reach down deep where I wrestle and battle with how God’s love can continually manifest itself through me. For example, I can’t see clearly how angst covered family or friend relationships will work out, but I can rest peacefully in the rain-drenched clean lens through which I’m assured of His holy presence.

Peace comes in the absence of a battle or after a battle has been fought. If the battle has been fought first in the secret places of my soul where I can’t hear the noise of the world’s advice, then Jesus’ virtues can grow, peacefully nourishing all of the give and takes of my relationships.

Are we allowing God’s rain cleansed peace to wash our battles?