Where True Peace is Found

Most people have a picture of what their life will one day look like. It may not even be a "dream" per say, such as living in  multi-million dollar house on beach, but there is a plan. Especially for us type A super-planners. Yet I hope by the end of this post, you will see  that true peace is not found in fulfilling one's life goals.

My planned life: live in a big city, preferably Charlotte, Washington DC,  or maybe even San Diego. Work full-time as a middle school science or health teacher, one day becoming a missionary to Central America. Happily married to someone who works in the ministry. One dog and one cat, two kids. Eat very little meat and dairy. Daily exercise and a ministry I can be involved in, both growing and serving.


Being an extreme introvert, hanging out with people for extended periods of time drains my energy. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE hanging out with friends, but I "recharge" by being alone. However, contrary to popular belief, I despise being alone. Weird, right? While I can't speak for other introverts, I enjoy being in crowds of people: people I don't know. During graduate school my "recharge station" was the mall, more specifically Barnes and Noble. Being a city with a population of 200,000, it was rare that I saw anyone I knew, yet I was never alone. There was no need to converse or entertain, yet there was the presence of other human beings. I would spend hours there in my energy dock. In undgrad, my station was Starbucks. It's an automatic response to extended periods of time with friends: head to the charger. You can see why I like the big city. You are never alone, and only see people you know if planned, preferably in one to two hour increments. It is my comfort zone. My husband is not an introvert....far from it. He loves interacting with people. He couldn't care less what or when he eats, but his "charging station" is hanging out with friends. They say opposites attract: we are living proof.

Yet I have found that being in my comfort zone may be the most dangerous place for me. I have "no need" to seek God's presence.

The population of my current town is 3,747. No, I didn't miss a zero. It's small. Ideal for an extrovert who thrives on interacting with people he knows. Yet this was not my plan, or my desire. After a long day of church or swimming lessons or parties, where do I "recharge"!? Where do I go to escape!?! And how am I supposed to be an example at the schools if I can't even get a job there? What will happen to my "perfect plans"? Panic sets in. Yet in that moment realizing my total loss of control, God's presence becomes know.

My plans, in and of themselves were not bad or "ungodly" at all. They were just that: my plans. But why worry about fulfilling my plans when God already has His plans in motion? Who am I to say that my plans are better than the Almighty Creator?! And what a peace that is found in letting go, and trusting God to ordain my steps. How exciting is it that He is letting me be part of His work here in the country! And there is so much work to be done. If I had started off with a full time job, with people I know, and a haven to recharge, I would have had no need to seek the Lord's presence. Yet in His presence is where peace and true purpose can be found. It took letting go and discomfort to find that.

In her book Keep a Quiet Heart Elisabeth Elliot wrote that she thought she'd live in Ecuador forever. But that was not God's plan. God does not call us to a life of wordly comfort where everything goes "according to plan", but quite the opposite. It is in the lifestyle of "discomfort" that peace is found. God has brought me where I am today, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.