Title: Peaceful life
Contents
2 Kings 6:14-17 Peaceful life
One of the characteristics of Korean people these days is that they have a tight social life and are chased by a lot of people. Chased to make money, chased after success, chased for study, chased for work, chased for various meetings... As a result, stress, fatigue, irritability, nervousness, lethargy, and depression occur. And furthermore, in their 40s and 50s, they lose their health and die quickly.
Of course, it's good to set a good purpose and work hard to achieve it. However, it is good to be busy running, but there are times when you need to relax and relax in life. That way, you can live a happier life like a marathon without getting tired. And such happiness in life can have a great effect on doing God's work and bear good fruit.
It is because among those who believe in God, those who do not come out of church well, and even if they do come to church, go back to the world as if they run away after a short Sunday worship service, because they did not find enough time to live. The word that comes out of their mouths the most is, “I am busy. Busy!” Of course we Christians are busier than nonbelievers. Because non-believers only have to do worldly things, but we Christians must also do the Lord's things together.
But do not forget. There are people in this world who live a leisurely life no matter how busy they are. Even when people are struggling with work and desperate to die, there are people who have a relaxed smile on their faces and conquer things one by one without rushing. Do any of those people come to mind? Of course it is Jesus. Jesus is truly a generous person. No matter how dire the situation, he never loses his composure.
Let's take an example. Jesus was in a boat with his disciples. Then there was a great storm and water came into the boat and there was a commotion. At this time, the disciples were so desperate that they screamed that they were going to die and were bewildered. But Jesus was sleeping peacefully in the boat. The disciples wake Jesus up and say, “No, Jesus! The ship is about to go shipwreck, and now is the time for a restful sleep?” Then Jesus got up and said, “Wind, be still. Waves, be still.”
Who else is more relaxed in the Bible than Jesus? This is the prophet Elisha in today's text. One day, while he was in the city of Dothan with his servant Gehazi, the Syrian army, the enemy, besieged the city of Dothan all night to capture Elisha. When Gehazi woke up in the morning, he saw the Syrian army besieging Dothan, layer after layer. He is so startled that he runs to the prophet Elisha and speaks. “Oh, my lord, something has happened. Are we okay now?”
But Elisha speaks very leisurely. “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” But Gehazi continues to fear, so Elisha prays: “O Lord, I pray that I may open my eyes so that I may see.” God opened the eyes of the spirit of his servant Gehazi, and God's horses and chariots of fire were all around the city and guarding Elisha. In other words, Elisha, who saw the world of God's spirit, became a relaxed person, and Gehazi, who could not see the world of God's spirit, lost his time and became an anxious person.
Ask yourself a question. “Am I a laid-back person? Have you become a more relaxed person than you were before you believed in God? What should I do to find peace of mind?” What do non-believers do to find peace in life? Looking through the internet, I've been doing these things roughly to get some free time. Among them, the most impressive one is the title ‘30 Ways to Live Your Life comfortably.
1. See the sunrise at least once a year.
(I feel empowered as my problems seem a little trivial.)
2. I am moved by a single flower, a little sincerity, the morning sunlight on a clear day, and the small things around me.
3. Laughter is the trademark of an optimistic person.
(If you are not confident in your smile, you can smile even in front of the mirror.)
4. Sing in the shower (like in foreign movies)
5. Plant flowers in spring.
(You learn patience by watching the process of several months until it blooms, and you gain trust in life by seeing the results of flowers.)
6. Learn at least one instrument that you can play yourself.
7. Read comic books.
(To give up comics is to give up creativity, humor, and youth.)
8. If there is an empty seat on the street, sit down and watch passersby.
(This is a great opportunity to imagine the lives of others.)
9. I use the phrase "Hello. Thank you. I'm sorry."
10. Don't delay the joy you can feel right now.
11. If you get angry, take a break for about an hour, cool off, and then deal with the other person. (If something is important, take a day to think about it.)
12. Always lose when playing with children.
13. Avoid people with negative thoughts.
14. Never give up on what you want to do.
(A person with hope is stronger than a person with real expectations.)
15. Be more relaxed.
(There is nothing urgent about it, unless it is a matter of immediate life or death.)
16. Measure your success on the peace of mind you currently feel, your health, and your love.
17. Don't expect life to be fair.
18. Use a certain amount of your income to help others.
19. Do not envy others (envy breeds unhappiness).
20. I live so passionately that I have no regrets even if I die.
21. Accept the fact that happiness has nothing to do with power, wealth, or fame.
(Happiness comes from my relationship with the people I love.)
22. Always answer calls with a lively voice.
(Likewise, don't call when you're depressed. If you must, do some light gymnastics and then do it in a lively voice.)
23. If there is something you like, start it without questioning the facts.
(If it’s something I love to do, the feeling will be conveyed soon and there will be no loss.)
24. Do not interrupt while others are talking.
25. Don't talk about money in front of people.
26. Be sure to ask for forgiveness when you do something wrong.
(Is there anything heavier than an unforgivable, unforgivable heart?)
27. When problems arise, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
28. Make a small investment for me.
(New pajamas, new socks, a flower, I am aware that the world exists only with me.)
29. I go out by myself at least once a month.
(Because you can unexpectedly meet my confidence when going out with nothing special to do.)
30. One last and most important thing!! get enough sleep
How is it? Would this give you a little more leeway? Do you have any other personal way of gaining slack besides these methods? In my case, after a hard workout, a hot tub goes in and I quietly meditate and clear my mind.
In any case, if you gain some peace of mind, you will also develop consideration for the other person, and you will be able to greet the other person in an honest way. It goes without saying that if you treat each other with such leisure, your relationships will be beautiful. However, if you lose your peace of mind, you will not be able to greet others properly, and you will not be able to speak warmly and kindly, so there is a high possibility that your relationship will be twisted.
In particular, I am a middle-aged 48-year-old these days. Have you ever heard of this? ‘Relaxation for middle-aged people, leisure for old age’ Having lived here for 10 years in Canada, the elderly here seem to have more leeway than the elderly in Korea, perhaps because of the old-age pension. And that kind of leeway becomes the driving force that softens society and makes it kind. And this peace of mind creates a good atmosphere in the church. That is, they make each other happy.
So, while I was praying, I set the topic of our church for 2008 to be ‘free time’. First, give me peace of mind for you! Second, give me time for you! Third, give me material leeway for you! Fourth, give us an environment for the Lord! I hope this year will be a year of relaxation for everyone in our church. And I want you to sublimate that space and use it to do the Lord's work.
Going back to the main text, the secret that Elisha had such an amazing time was because he was with God. And in order to be with God, he always prayed and lived a God-centered life. I wish. Even the members of our church, no matter how busy they are in a foreign land, can enjoy the leisure that comes from God while living God-centered.
have it And I pray that you will devote yourself to the kingdom of God with that leisure and have real leisure in heaven.