But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. Psalm 131:2
It’s David who has calmed and quieted himself. David who has made himself like a weaned child. David who has chosen to be content. We would rather God did this for us. That God, in a supernatural act would miraculously and instantaneously calm us down and change how we feel.
That’s not how it happens. God has given us the responsibility to take charge of our emotions by reigning in our thoughts. We calm ourselves when we remind ourselves of the truth. If we fill our minds with all the problems in our lives and in the world, all the things that aren’t working the way we would like, and all the things that could go wrong, we won’t be calm.
Alternatively, if we choose to focus on God, remembering he’s in charge, he’s in control and he’s the commander of our destiny then we place ourselves in a position of receiving his peace. Peter gives us these instructions regarding our minds:
“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming” (1 Peter 1:13).
Other versions put more emphasis on us taking action to make sure our minds and our thoughts are properly engaged and not left to idle imaginings:
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind” (KJV), “put your mind in gear” (MSG), “prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control” (NLT, “once you have your minds ready for action and you are thinking clearly” (CEB).
We can decide not to dwell on the negatives, but rather deliberately choose godly thoughts.
