Several times a week I take our special needs son Paul to the YMCA so he can splash in the big pool. I usually swim half-lengths until I get tired, which isn’t very long. Then I do resistance walking, trying to get exercise walking widths and keeping an eye on Paul. It was while walking in circles in the shallow end that I noticed something. Though the entire pool was rippled with waves and counterwaves, the area in the middle of the circle I formed was calm. As a teacher I had to know why. The answer was simple- the waves I made from one side of the circle collided with those from the other side and cancelled each other out. “That is a good definition of peace,” I said to myself. Peace is not the absence of waves, but it is the result of the presence of counterwaves. When our problems meet with God’s power, peace results. We don’t need all His power, though it is all available. We only need enough of it to counteract the power of the problems. ”God is able to make all grace abound toward you.” (2 Cor. 9:8) ”My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Cor. 12:8)

We have probably all heard the story of the artists who were assigned the task of drawing a picture depicting peace. Many drew tranquil lakes, sunsets, and the like. The winner drew a raging waterfall and a bird nest in an overhanging branch. I am suggesting that is not quite what God’s peace means either. The raging waterfall is normal and constant. The bird learns this is not a threat to its tranquility. But waves are those unexpected events that come into our lives to drive us either to despair or to God. When we turn to God, His power cancels the power of the event, and peace results.