Peace that the world cannot give

Such a great quote by Elisabeth Elliot...who I am beginning to relate to more and more every day...

At the age twenty-three, God gave me the gift of singleness. At age twenty-seven, the gift of marriage. At age twenty-nine, the gift of widowhood. I was not a wife anymore. I was a widow. Another assignment. Another gift. Don't imagine for a moment that was the thought that occurred to me the instant the word of my husband's death came. "O Lord" was probably all I could think, stunned as I was. One step at a time, over the years, as I sought to plumb the mystery of suffering (which cannot be plumbed), I began to see that there is a sense in which everything is a gift. Even my widowhood. I say I found peace. I do not say I was not lonely. I was--terribly. I do not say that I did not grieve. I did--most sorely. But peace of the sort the world cannot give comes, not by the removal of suffering, but in another way--through acceptance.

Although her suffering and grieving would have been slightly different than mine the acceptance and ultimately, peace are the same. I love the way she refers to her different circumstances in life as gifts...I need to accept and continually be thankful for my gift of singleness in this season of my life. I think that may be the only way to have real peace.

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."