Peace

There are times when I'm so frustrated with myself, my sin, my weaknesses, my circumstances, and any manor of other things that I can hardly concentrate on anything else. I'd like to say that these times are short lived and infrequent. In reality I would probably be ashamed if other people knew how often I was assailed by these doubts, as I'm sure most of us would be if we were honest. The truth is that in these moments there are few things that can be of comfort. Despite the unshakeable knowledge that I am a recipient of Christ's righteousness in a real and concrete sense through his unalterable work at the Cross, in these times I am so distraught over the reality of my current sinful state that the knowledge of this truth doesn't fill me with the gratitude that it should. The only hope that I can find in these moments is in dwelling on the certainty that very soon I will be rejoicing eternally before the presence of God. In only a moments time I will be gazing upon the Father as he truly is and all the concerns of the former world will be as the vague memories of a dream. This is the reality that I long for in these times of frustration. You can call it escapism if you like. It suppose that it is. But when confronted with the disturbing reality of my own sin, there is no better option than to escape into the hope that soon I will be with the Father and because I am with Him, my sin will no longer beset me. This truth is captured perfectly in the verse entitled Peace, by 17th century poet Henry Vaughan:

My soul there is a Countrie
Far beyond the stars,
Where stands a winged Sentrie
All skilfull in the wars,
There above noise, and danger
Sweet peace sits crown'd with smiles,
And one born in a Manger
Commands the Beauteous files,
He is thy gracious friend,
And (O my Soul awake!)
Did in pure love descend
To die here for thy sake,
If thou canst get but thither,
There growes the flowre of peace,
The Rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortresse, and thy ease;
Leave then thy foolish ranges;
For none can thee secure,
But one, who never changes,
Thy God, thy life, thy Cure.