The Strength of Being Calm

It has been long since William George Jordan wrote his essay on The Majesty of Calmness – but perhaps more than then, it is needed now. He did not have in mind the calmness of inertia, or of indifference of inactivity, or the fatalistic acceptance of an unsatisfactory situation, but the calmness that does all it can do, and then finds strength from deep within, and assurance from a Higher Source. A person lacking faith and fearing the future, spends himself in fretting, and finding too little satisfaction in his work, his loved ones, his life. “The disease with which the human mind now labors,” said Emerson, “is want of faith.” “When the worries and cares of the day fret you, … wear upon you, … Stop, and let … calmness and cares of the day fret you, … wear upon you, … Stop, and let … calmness and peace assert themselves…” We all acquire our scars, our heartaches, and our lessons learned, but the plain fact is that we have some thought all the past. And the further fact is that we can’t change all things at once – nor would we want to. Along with all adverse elements, there is goodness in life, and in people, and an overruling power and purpose. And after we have done the best we can, there is much for which we have to trust, much that we must leave in Higher Hands. This doesn’t mean resigning, or evading problems, or pretending that reality isn’t there. It doesn’t mean dulling our senses in the tranquilizer sense – but going the best we can, where we are, as we are, with what we have, along with faith to trust an overruling Providence – which ultimately we have to do anyway. O fretfulness! Fretfulness! Better had we use our time to serve our loved ones, and others also; to improve our little world, or the wider world, wherever we can reach it, and do the needful things each day that can be done. Oh, cease to fret, “to fuss and fume, to worry and to grieve,” to spend life in fearful, fitful running to and fro. Take to your heart these quieting words of Paul, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” There is majesty in calmness, and strength – and peace. “Peace, be still.”