There is nothing worse than accomplishing something and feeling hugely unfulfilled at the moment of attainment. You might have climbed a serious mountain and once you summit, you realize it was the wrong mountain.
It takes some courage to accept that, and then walk back down the mountain to start a brand new trek up a different mountain that you think is the right one. What if that ones wrong? Haha! The risks of life! The risks of taking chances on new things. You’re not 100% certain that once you’ve scaled that mountain that you’ll want to remain on top of it. Maybe you’ve scaled two wrong mountains. Maybe three.
Maybe it’s a question of never truly finding satisfaction within yourself no matter where you’re at or how many daring feats you’ve accomplished. Sometimes we’re searching for eternal within that which is terminal.
The one thing our hearts crave desperately is peace. When we say, “I just wanna be happy.” What we’re really saying is that we want rest for our weary, burdened hearts. We’re saying that we want our unsettled minds and hearts to be calm. If even for a moment.
Nothing external to ourselves will ever accomplish those things. All peace is within us already. All calm is within us already. If you’re a Bible person, there’s a verse that says the kingdom of God is within us. If you’re a Jesus person, Christ dwells in the hearts of His believers. If you’re into the Eastern Religion thing, inner peace is sought. There is no teaching of finding some sacred garden somewhere that you can physically venture to in order to find rest for your restless spirit. Actually, you can venture to a garden to cultivate peace, but that garden is within you.
Some of this stuff sounds very high, lofty, flighty, maybe out of reach… what’s really being expressed here is to let go of the thoughts that are pulling you toward cravings, let go of the fluctuating emotions that are as constant as the weather in Pittsburgh– it can be every season in a single day here 🙂
I’m not attempting to create some religion belief war or to lump all of them together and say they’re the same… I’m just saying there’s nothing external that will bring internal peace. And whatever your belief system is, you’re likely to agree with that. There’s no drug, no sex, no pizza (and I love pizza) that will bring a lasting peace to your heart.
Our constant search for victory and achievement is wrapped up in the cars we drive, houses we buy, people we marry… Did you notice one major commonality among those things? They all die. They all age and they eventually die. No matter how many oil changes or botox injections, they all pass eventually.
Our hope is in our hearts. Get quiet for a few minutes and acknowledge that which already resides within you.
So what about the mountain question from before?
Peace within you will guide you to the right mountain. But you have to listen to that peace and seek it. Seek peace by remaining still. Breathing. And searching your heart. As you’re climbing the right mountain, you’ll experience peace. Even if there’s an avalanche. There probably will be actually. But you’ll get through it.
When you write something like this, people always want to ask which side of the fence you’re on. What do you believe? So, in my attempt to indulge your curiosity. I’m one of those Jesus persons. My man, J.C., and I go back at least ten years. He’s a good dude. When you read my writing, you don’t exactly get the impression that I hold that belief. I wear my humanness pretty well. I swear, I’m broken and I’m open about it. People that find themselves in a relationship with J.C. tend to scare every person they meet away. Because they’re crazy. If they did in fact read the Scripture they proclaim, they’d pick up on the verse that says, “They (meaning un-believers) will know us (meaning believers) by our love.” That’s good stuff. They will know us by our love, NOT our crazy 🙂
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