Peace, Joy, Love, Freedom, Hope.
These are the things that many search after, long for, strive for and only sometimes catch a glimpse of.
On our backpacking challenge in Colombia it was really easy for me to experience all these things.
We were in smaller groups travelling for 7 days from Cartegena to Santa Marta. This time was also for reflection, rejuvenation and rest.
We could do whatever we wanted!
We had a small but manageble budget and our bags were overflowing with special South African treats from the family visit which had just ended.
Colombia and for some ...Venezuela ... was our oyster!
After hitch hiking for 2 days we settled in a lovely quiet, peaceful backpackers on the beach front with a sea view from our hammocks.
We had sunrise and sunset over the carribean ocean.
We had life on our own terms and time.
We lived off of mangos, coconuts and those trusty South African supplies (thanks mom!)
I for sure felt:
Freedom- we had no rules, no schedules, no name to live up to, no authority to submit to.
Peace- we had no conflict, no war, no injustice to face.
Joy- we had no sadness, no heartbreak and no sorrow.
There were no barriers stopping me experiencing these things.
Fast forward one week, after being toasted in the sun, body surfing, and feeling fully rested and ready to take on the last 3 months.
We are faced with the harsh realities of the world.
Brokeness, hopelessness, opression, conflict, hard times. All of a sudden where is the peace, joy, love and freedom I was swimming in just 2 days ago?
The peace, the freedom, the joy, the love I had experienced before was it true? Was it real? Was it valuable if it was so fleeting?
No. I experienced these things because of the ABSENCE of rules, schedules and authority. Due to the ABSENCE of brokeness, hurt and injustice.
So how do we have peace in the midst of injustice? How do we feel freedom in oppression? How do you have hope in hopeless situations? How do you feel joy in sorrow?
Paul wrote many of his letters while in prison! His experience of freedom was obviously not determined by an absence of oppression.
Thinking about this I discovered that it is in the PRESENCE of God, the awareness of the PRESENCE of the Holy spirit because of what Jesus has done for us, that it is possible to experience peace, joy, love, hope and freedom, no matter what the circumstance.
It is no longer the ABSENCE of elements in situation or circumstance that dictates what you feel and experience but the PRESENCE of God.
What does God say about that circumstance or situation.
How can I be His vessel to bring His Peace, His Love, His Joy, His Hope, His Freedom to a place or person.
This is not necessarily by preaching or teaching in that moment, but maybe responding to hate with love, to injustice with grace, to conflict with peace, to sorrow with joy, to oppression with tangible freedom.
By the power of the PRESENCE of Holy Spirit within us.
Peace, love, joy, freedom and hope are by-products (not even the main focus) of the
PRESENCE of God
and not the
ABSENCE of suffering, hardship or injustice in my surroundings.
Love, peace, joy, hope, freedom do not have to be fleeting, you do not have to strive for them or be in a certain place (e.g. on holiday) forgetting about the realities of the world to experience them and then all of a sudden when you are back in the real world they become a distant memory.
We can feel and experience love, peace, joy, hope and freedom ALL THE TIME in the PRESENCE of God, in the increased awareness of the Holy spirit within us.
How wonderful it is that God chose us jars of clay, us broken vessels to leak His presence in to our broken and hurting world.