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In an earlier devotion on Christian Holiness Daily, we learned that it is God’s will that we be sanctified, or filled with the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 4:3). After Paul proclaims this to his readers, he expounds on what is expected out of those whom Christ sanctifies.

• Abstain from sexual immorality
• Love one another
• In verse 11 of that same chapter, he says that we are to live a quiet life. What does Paul mean, though, when he uses the word quiet?
• Paul’s life seemed to be anything but quiet. He traveled from town-to-town preaching first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, bringing a new message – and one that few wanted to accept – and stirred up so much trouble that he found himself often in jail, stoned and left for dead, beaten, and eventually martyred. Ask and the definition of quiet life, I doubt any of the items on that list are mentioned.
• When I think of a quiet life, I think of a cabin in the woods, off grid, and a room full of books.
• Others may think of a sailboat on a calm sea, or a fishing boat on a still lake. Some might picture a horseback ride or a cross-country trip on a Harley. Though peaceful, I doubt any of those images are what Paul had in mind when he wrote of the quiet life. Paul’s idea of quiet can be determined from his other epistles.

• The first clue that we find about Paul’s definition of quiet is Romans 12:18, where he gives similar advise:

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. – ESV

Peace and quiet are synonymous. In this passage Paul ads a qualifying clause, If possible…

In Paul’s life, peace and quiet wasn’t always possible, for it wasn’t always up to him whether he lived at peace.

• Galatians 5:22 tells us the same thing that Paul tells us here in 1 Thessalonians 4, but it is more succinct: the fruit of the Spirit is peace.
• In Philippians 4:7, he urges us to allow our hearts to be guided by the peace that comes through the Holy Spirit.
• In Romans 14:19, he urges us to make every effort to bring peace into our lives.
• As with every aspect of sanctification, living in peace or living a quiet life is only possible if we allow the Holy Spirit to rule (take charge) in our lives daily.
• If He is not the King of our hearts, then the best that we can hope for is brief calm often followed by a ferocious storm.
• If we allow the Holy Spirit to reign, then we too can say (like Paul),

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

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An old story circulates throughout Southeast Kansas about a family that lived on the frontier in the days immediately after the Civil War. The family, named Bender, were infamous. They lived on a major trail that connected the Frontier to Indian Territory and took in boarders, some of which they robbed and murdered. When exposed, they slipped out of Kansas and onto Indian lands without ever getting caught. Their misdeeds were so notorious that they were mentioned in a novel of Rose Wilder Lane.

Father Paul Ponziglione, a Jesuit missionary, once encountered that family at their inn. The Benders were hospitable, offered food and a place to lay his head at a reasonable price. The weather was turning, and a storm threatened from the horizon. Thunder rolled across the sky, sounding like a barrel rolling off a moving wagon. The night promised to be frightful. At first, he agreed, for home was a day’s journey away. As the storm brewed, a voice whispered in his heart: “Leave this place. It is not safe.”

Embarrassed, the priest made his apologies and steered his covered wagon with its team of oxen up the road. An hour or so later, he made his way off the road and into a secluded grove, out of sight of the Bender family. Later, when recounting this story for a historian, he testified that he knew the voice he heard was the voice of God.

It is not always easy to hear the voice of God, especially in the midst of a storm, but it is possible if we train our hearts to listen. We read of a storm in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 4. Jesus and His disciples were on the sea of Galilee when a storm blew in. Some of the disciples were professional fishermen, from a long line of fishermen, and they were scared for their lives. The shallow-drafted, flat-bottom boat was nearly swamped. They cried out to Jesus, who was sleeping near the stern. With the words, “Peace, be still,” he calmed the stormy sea.

God does not always calm the storm when we cry out. Sometimes, he wishes to speak to us through the storm, as he did to Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11-13. God’s voice is often heard in the midst of a storm. In my own life, I often hear him best when I have taken refuge from a storm, holed-up in a shelter of my own making, on a sea with fishermen who are in uncharted waters, or flat on my back, with nowhere else to turn but to the heavens. I cry out in desperation to God, “Please, Father, calm the storm before I am drowned.”

In the midst of every storm, without fail I hear my Savior speaking, “Peace be still.” In. Every. Single. Storm. I hear His precious voice.

Sometimes He says them to the storm. Other times, He says them to me.

“Steve, peace… Be still,” he says. Upon hearing His words, I no longer worry about the storm that rages around me.

_______

Sheltered in the Arms of God

So let the storms rage high
The dark clouds rise
They don’t worry me
For I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God

He walks with me
And naught of earth shall harm me
For I’m sheltered in the arms of God

-Jimmie Davis and Dottie Rambo

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That generation – my generation – learned more than “duck and cover” during their impressionable childhood years of the Cold War. They learned that by keeping a nation in fear, they could keep them bound in chains. The truly sad part is that, whether they realize it or not, those who create an atmosphere of fear are in the employment of Satan.

Yes, Satan uses fear to manipulate and bind believers. If he can plant fear in your heart, then you will begin to lose faith, doubt the power of God, fail to seek divine guidance, and take matters into your own hands.

God on the other hand creates peace in your heart, gives you comfort and guidance, even in the turmoil of this frightening world. And, He creates unity in the body of believers.
Fear Not, for when God rules your life, you discover peace in your heart and unity in the church.

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The way I know it now.

I could not see my need for Him,

My pride would not allow.

I had it all, without a care,

The “self-sufficient” lie.

My path was smooth, my sea was still,

Not a cloud was in my sky.
I thought I knew His love for me,

I thought I’d seen His grace,

I thought I did not need to grow,

I thought I’d found my place.

But when the way grew rough and dark,

The storm clouds quickly rolled;

The waves began to rock my ship,

My anchor would not hold.
The ship that I had built myself

Was made of foolish pride.

It fell apart and left me bare,

With nowhere else to hide.

I had no strength or faith to face

The trials that lay ahead,

And so I simply prayed to Him

And bowed my weary head.

His loving arms enveloped me,

And then He helped me stand.

He said, “You still must face this storm,

But I will hold your hand.”

So through the dark and lonely night

He guided me through pain.

I could not see the light of day

Or when the storm might wane.
Yet through the aches and endless tears,

My faith began to grow.

I could not see it at the time,

But my light began to glow.

I saw God’s love in brand new light,

His grace and mercy, too.

For only when all self was gone

Could Jesus’ love shine through.
It was not easy in the storm,

I sometimes wondered, “Why?”

At times I thought, “I can’t go on.”

I’d hurt and doubt and cry.

But Jesus never left my side,

He guided me each day.

Through pain and strife,

Through fire and flood,

He helped me all the way.

And now I see as never before

How great His love can be.

How in my weakness He is strong,

How Jesus cares for me!

He worked it all out for my good,

Although the way was rough.

He only sent what I could bear,

And then He cried, “Enough!”
He raised His hand and said, “Be still!”

He made the storm clouds cease.

He opened up the gates of joy

And flooded me with peace.

I see His face now clearer still,

I felt His presence strong.

I found anew His faithfulness,

He never did me wrong.
Now I know more storms will come,

But only for my good,

For pain and tears have helped me grow

As naught else ever could.

I still have so much more to learn

As Jesus works in me;

If in the storm I’ll love Him more,

That’s where I want to be.
Written By:

Wendy Greiner Lefko

© 1996 Used with permission
Thanks, Nancy Okabe for your contribution

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 

Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. 

And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are preparing?”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Mark 4:35-41

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Those nine things (“fruits”) are:

Love

Joy

Peace

Longsuffering (patience)

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-control

The Catholic church adds:

• Generosity
• Modesty
• Chastity

We are never to judge others; that’s not why the Apostle Paul penned this list. He wrote it so that we may examine our own heart. If you are a growing Christian, you will begin seeing these attributes in your own life. 

Nor are we to be “fruit inspectors.” Some who call themselves Christians justify judging and gossiping about others by quoting this verse from Matthew 7:17-20. 

Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Put in context with the verses preceding it, and one sees Christ referring to false prophets. If we judge the quality of anyone’s life we should begin and end with our own. 

Does my life exhibit love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, generosity, modesty, and chastity?

I admit it; I’m lacking in many areas. But I’m surrendered to Christ’s will, and pray He has patience with me and helps me grow and bear good fruit. God fruit. 

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