Tranquility

May 31

2 Samuel 7-9

Psalm 68:1-6

Proverbs 14:30-32

John 21

Tranquility

“A tranquil heart is life to the body, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.” 

Proverbs 14:30 LSB

Tranquility is a term that has been stolen by Satan and twisted into something that is very different from its original meaning.  When we hear the word tranquility, images of a luxurious spa come to mind or perhaps we envision Eastern mysticism and yoga poses.  We think of someone sitting crisscross applesauce with their hands up, eyes closed and humming.  The “tranquility” Satan offers requires separating ourselves from our circumstances, “getting away from it all,” or going into an altered state of reality.  It doesn’t work because as soon as you return to reality everything is exactly how you left it.  The difficulty is still there.  You may have gotten a break from it, but it hasn’t changed anything.  It’s like going on a vacation; it’s nice while you are there, but then you return to the same situation and more work to make up for the time you were gone.  It’s temporary.  This was not the tranquility of heart that Solomon was referring to in this verse. Biblical tranquility is a state of inner peace and calm, not just an absence of difficulty or turmoil.  It has nothing to do with circumstances.  True peace is present regardless of our situation at any given time.  It stems from a relationship with God that trusts in His presence in our lives, His promises, His character and His ability to take care of us no matter what happens.  Biblical tranquility doesn’t change our circumstances, it changes us. 

Paul described this well in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  LSB   This type of peace is beyond our comprehension.  We cannot understand it or even describe it well.  We just know it when we have it.  The way to get this peace in our lives is not to go away to some expensive retreat and spend time communing with nature.  The only way to experience God’s peace in our lives is to grow closer to Him.  The more time we spend with Him, the better we get to know Him.  The more we know Him, the more we will be able to trust Him and the more we trust Him, the more at peace we will be in our hearts.  There is no way we can manufacture this type of peace, it is a natural benefit of abiding in Him.  There are no short cuts to finding peace.  Prayer, meditating and studying His Word, and keeping our eyes focused on Jesus results in a tranquil heart.  Solomon links peace in our hearts to physical health and wellness.  We have all seen the destructive consequences of stress, anxiety and worry on our bodies.  Trusting God and abiding in Him can help us avoid some of those negative side effects.