“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)
Like most young animals, my puppy is full of energy. He zooms around, jumps up and down, and is easily distractible. I am in the process of training our puppy to ‘settle’ down in my presence. Every morning, I have him sit on his bed for ten minutes. I will keep feeding him food every few minutes as an incentive. He has learned to remain still on his bed and watch my movements. Even if I leave the room, he knows it is just a matter of time before I come back and give him a treat. The rewards are part of the training, but the end purpose is to teach him calming behavior. I imagine the dog thinks of this as a transactional arrangement. He does what I want, and he gets what he wants. In reality, the whole exercise is meant for the dog’s benefit.
Most mornings, I try to settle down in God’s presence. This quiet time is set aside for prayer, study, and contemplation. I often get insights that I use in my writing. By consecrating my time and attention, I may be doing God’s will, but it benefits me more than Him. The rewards are part of the training but not the end purpose. I am learning calm and trust. As I fix my thoughts on God, I begin to understand the mystery of perfect peace.
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