On Being a Force of Nature

I have been contemplating Francis of Assisi's famous prayer lately.  It begins, "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace . . . ."

While it sounds as though one is talking to a "Lord" who is out there somewhere, a slight change in perspective allows me to speak to the Inner Divine, the force of Life itself.  That force is Peace.  When I remember that, the whole prayer becomes a very powerful mind-changing "event" for me.

I am asking my Inner Self to change my perspective so that I am an instrument of peace.  What does it mean to be an instrument of something?  It means that my whole being -- my effort, my thought, my words, my actions, my very feelings -- is dedicated to one thing:  peace.  It means I am willing to be peace.

There is something monumentally powerful in being an instrument.  When I am willing to be the instrument of a higher feeling or force, like peace, it means my life is a trust for something greater.  My talents, training, compassion, intelligence, and energy are all focused on bringing peace to my world. 

In his wonderful book The Compassionate Universe, Eknath Easwaran writes, that a person who looks upon her entire life as a trust "will never burn out, feel defeated, or get depressed or bored."  Now that is quite a statement! 

George Bernard Shaw repeats it in a wry and insightful way:  "This is the true joy in life: the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, the being thoroughly worn out before you're thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote iself to making you happy." 

Well, that sort of brings me up short!  It makes me realize that I sometimes act like that "feverish little clod" complaining that the world is not making me happy.  How truly fine it is to realize that and to remember what I am:  I declare myself to be a force of nature, not waiting around to be made happy, but claiming happiness now.  I claim happiness because I claim my life to be a trust for peace and joy, for freedom and faith in something bigger than a feverish little clod.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.  Every moment, every day, in every breath.