The Secret of Kungfu Panda

Several weeks ago, several colleagues and I were waiting for a meeting to start, and one of them asked me, "Hey Glenn, why do you smile so much?"

I thought for a second or two, and replied, "Because I know I am where I am supposed to be.  I follow God, and where He leads me is always the best place I can be.  I am held in the palm of His hand.  Sometimes it rains, sometimes it shines, but safe in His hands I am."

That colleague then remarked, "Ah you've found inner peace.  Like Kungfu Panda." :)

To which I replied, "Well, it's more like this.  Late one night, I saw my daughter sitting at her desk and reading.  At first I thought she was studying, and I felt happy, because of course studying hard helps her to do well.  Then I walked closer and realised she was reading her Bible.  And then I felt even happier, because when she follows after God, then whatever the result, she is always in the best place she can be."

Another colleague then asked, "But what if she prays, and then He doesn't give her the results she wants?  How can you be happy then?"

"Well, I myself often forget this, but praying is asking God what He wants me to do, not asking God to do what I want Him to do.  And I love that, because quite often, I don't know what I'd like Him to do!"

My colleague seemed confused, and hesitatingly asked, "But if prayer is not to get God to give you what you want, then what's it for?"

I didn't get to answer that, because then the meeting started!  

But if you've read this blog regularly, you probably know what my response would have been - God is not to be confused with Santa Claus.  Too many of us ask God for stuff.  Give me career success.  Give me good health.  Give me clever children.  Give me happiness.  Give me.  Give me.  Give me.

Santa Claus gives us what we ask for if we're good.  But God gives us what we ask for because He's good.  And because He is good, like any good parent, He never answers a request that will set us awry.  As I've said before, God has a spam filter for prayers to win the lottery!  The prayers that really get answered are these - God, what do you want me to do for you?  And then, He supplies all our needs to get that done!

So.  Prayer is not to tell God what we want.  It is to hear what He wants.  Then He will take care of the rest.

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But what about this "inner peace" concept?  Is "inner peace" why I smile all the time?  As I said, I follow God, and where He leads me is always the best place I can be.  I am held in the palm of His hand.  Sometimes it rains, sometimes it shines, but safe in His hands I am.

What is inner peace?  Popular culture sometimes describes inner peace as a zen calm - sort of a "nothing matters" and "I've let go" state of mind.

But when it rains, when it hurts, it seems a bit of a stretch to say "nothing matters" and "let it go".  My friends and I distribute bread to the poor on a monthly basis.  Many of the residents have serious issues.  Conflict, illness, poverty, loneliness, crime.  It's easy for us to say, in our plenty, "nothing matters".  Not so easy to tell someone who's struggling to pay the rent, has an infected leg, a wastrel husband, and kids struggling in school - it's OK, nothing matters, let it go.

Even for ourselves - when a loved one is ill.  When a child is struggling in school.  When the challenges at work seem overwhelming.  Nothing matters?  Let it go?  Get real.

I say, "nothing matters" is a lie.  Everything matters.  Your hurt matters.  Your loneliness matters.  Your poverty matters.  Your desperation matters. Your joy matters.  Your marriage matters.  Your children matter.  You matter.  You matter.  You matter!

And you matter to God.  You are precious in His sight.  He knew you when you were knit in the womb.  He loves you beyond measure, and has a plan to prosper you, to give you a hope and a future.  And if you matter to God, then you must matter to me.

I don't have inner peace as the world describes it.  But what I do have, and what I can share, is God's peace.  That everything matters.  But God is in charge, and He. Will. Take. Care. Of. It.  

We look for His voice.  We walk in the centre of His will.  He holds us, all our hopes and dreams and fears, our family, our career, and all the bits and pieces of our lives, in the palm of His hand.  Rain or shine.  The best place we can be.  Safe!

And that, is the long answer to why I smile so much :)

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