One thing everyone craves from time to time is peace. I think that we all have a different view of what peace is, but there is a peace that settles the soul whilst it bolsters the heart, and is freely available to those who believe.
This world can be a place of turmoil or a place of refreshing, depending and how we respond or react to circumstances, on where we are and what is happening around us, and how we are influenced by others during the situations we face.
The Bible has much to say about how we deal with stress, anxiety, worry and fear. It gives ready solutions. One of the conditions in life that we seek often is that sense of being at peace, of being settled and secure.
But the Bible talks about more than one kind of peace. There is the peace of the world, and there is the peace that comes from a relationship with God. They are not the same. Jesus pointed out the difference to us as He addressed His disciples one day.
His peace in our lives
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.
John 14:27
The peace that comes from the world may take many forms, but it is mostly sensual, of the soul, and therefore psychological or emotional, based on feelings, in the sense realm, or dependent on bodily or fleshly comfort, whereas the peace that comes from Jesus is birthed and grounded in heaven and is spiritual, being of the Holy the Spirit and directly affects our regenerated spirit.
In the sentence before this promise of His peace, Jesus tells His disciples that the Father would send the Helper, the Holy Spirit in His name, and the Spirit will teach us all things, and bring to remembrance the things that Jesus had said to His followers (John 14:26).
The world cannot experience this peace. It is not available to them until they receive Jesus as Lord and are born of the Spirit. The peace that comes from the Father is by the Holy Spirit with us and in us.
Our part
The Holy Spirit is our peace, but we have a part to play, and Jesus gives us some of the responsibility for accessing and maintaining His pece in us.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27b
So His part is to give us the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Peace, and our part is to resist the temptation to be troubled or afraid.
Here’s where we have to cast all of our cares on the Lord. We are also admonished to be anxious for nothing. It’s not always easy to resist the temptation to worry. It sometimes seems like a dark cloud around our mind trying to gain entry to pour rain on our lives. We need the umbrella of peace.
The world has all kinds of peace projects that mostly turn out to be temporary measures. They can scratch the itch for a while but the sore gets deeper.
Many turn to self-help strategies, to alcohol, to pharmaceutical desensitisers, to sensual distractions, entertainment, psychoanalysis, exercise, sport, relaxation techniques, and some of these may provide temporary relief, but the only consistent restorative is the peace that comes from the Holy Spirit.
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
1 Timothy 4:8
This kind of peace is prevalent even in the times when deep turmoil rages all around us, yet we know on the inside that we are calm and collected. It is called the peace that is beyond our understanding, guarding our hearts and minds. It is a peace that can only come through a relationship with God. It is His peace in us.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
