WARS and rumors of wars cast dark and fearful shadows across our horizon. Yet, this painting mirrors a soft glowing sky and hills of protection around a tranquil lake. When the wind whips the water, it reflects only abstract and broken fragments. When my heart grows fearfully anxious before winds of circumstance, I do not accurately reflect my Creator’s beauty. Yet, His loving protection remains all around me. 

Oh, to remember that “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea,” Psalm 26 goes on to describe troubles coming, seas roaring, mountains shaking, nations raging, kingdoms moving, God’s voice melting the earth, and calling us to behold world-wide desolations. Yet, the chapter ends with, “Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.”

Troubling times that blow down upon us can refract the image of God’s power and beauty within us rather than reflect it. God spoke through His Prophet Isaiah in troubling times, “‘Woe to the rebellious children,’ says the LORD, ‘Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin.’” The chapter goes on to describe how His children sought help from Egypt; therefore, the Holy One of Israel says, “Because you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them, Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant.”

Then, the Lord GOD gave Israel and us the way out, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Then He painfully describes Israel’s response, “But you would not” (Isa 30:15).

Can you sense God’s heart of love for His children in these words? Returning to our God and resting in His love saves us from fear’s torment. By laying all our cares at His feet and our sins at His cross, we find the peace of God that passes our understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7). 

Only then will our hearts become still and quiet enough to reflect the beauty of Christ around and within us. Only then will He rightly reveal Himself through us to this troubled world. Quietness and confidence come to our hearts when He says, “Peace be still” to the winds of circumstance and waves of adversity. Only then is He perfectly reflected in us. We mirror His likeness when we enter His presence and quiet our hearts before Him. 

I once noted an artist who looked through a magnifying lens to add intricate details to her painting. The magnifying lens made the details more visible to her naked eye. The Bible talks about magnifying the Lord to make His character more accurately visible to those who cannot righty see Him. In my ladies’ Bible study, we recently discussed Psalm 40:16, “The LORD be magnified.” Talking through that verse, I suddenly imagined us walking around like huge magnifying lenses, so when people look at us, they see Jesus more clearly. 

The Apostle John writes, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1Jhn 2:6). To live in Him is to believe He made us righteous by His blood, and to walk as Jesus walked is to be filled moment by moment with the power of His Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of Peace—a quiet confidence that guards our hearts and minds against the troubles of this world.

“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears” (Psa 34:3,4).

When we choose to completely trust Him and rest in His perfect love, wisdom, and power, we reflect and magnify our Wonderful Counselor, our Almighty God, Everlasting Father, and our Prince of Peace. We have so much cause to rejoice! We have so many reasons to praise and worship Him!

“I will praise the name of God with a song (or a painting and blog), And will magnify Him with thanksgiving” (Psa 69:30).