The Fulfilled Life of Peace

In a world of noise, confusion, and relentless pressures, people long for peace. Many give up the search, thinking it impossible to find; but true peace of heart and mind is available to us through faith in Jesus Christ. In Philippians 4:6-7 it tells us how we will experience God’s peace, “the peace...which transcends all understanding.” There’s a worldly peace we have when everything is going our way. But the peace Jesus gives is a totally different quality of peace than what the world gives. It’s a peace that surpasses our understanding; it makes us peaceful when all natural reasoning says we should be upset. Worldly peace is usually defined as the absence of conflict. God’s peace is different from the world’s peace. True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from knowing God is in control. Peace means being in a right relationship with one another, within ourselves and with God. Romans 12:18 says, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” In this day of lawsuits and incessant demands for legal rights, this command sounds almost impossible. When someone hurts us deeply we often want to give them what they deserve, yet the Bible tells us to forgive our enemies. Forgiving them will free you of a heavy load of bitterness. So do all you can to live in peace with one another. How do we find peace within? In the Bible Paul writes a formula for developing peace within. He says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. In other words, “Don’t worry. Let God handle it.” Imagine never being “anxious about anything”! It seems like an impossibility, we all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school. But Paul’s advice is to turn our worries into prayers. Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray. Our big problems won’t seem so impossible if we let God handle them. Does enjoying God’s perfect peace mean that we will never feel the effects of the storms raging around us? Hardly. But His peace is complete, adequate, and sufficient for anything we face. How do we find peace with God? In spite of a life drenched with responsibilities and rewards, are you thirsting? Searching for some nameless thing that is more important than anything in life? You are not alone. Mankind is seeking the answer to the confusion, the moral sickness, the spiritual emptiness that oppresses the world. Humanity is crying out for guidance, for comfort . . . for peace. Jesus said; “Peace be with you” the very thing we all need and he still offers it to us all today. There may be those on earth who dress better or eat better, but those who enjoy the peace of God sleep better, much better. Billy Graham writes “I know men who would write a check for a million dollars if they could find peace,” “Millions are searching for it. But we Christians have found it! It is ours now and forever. We have found the secret of life! . . . When your spouse dies or your children get sick or you lose your job, you can have a peace that you don’t understand. You may have tears at a graveside, but you can have an abiding peace.” Colossians 3:15 tells us to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. Peace is the umpire of our heart, telling us if we are "safe" in God's will, or "out," following our own path or the deception of the devil. The peace of God is like a compass for our souls, leading us in the right direction for our lives. We can take great comfort in knowing that God is so involved in our lives that He would supply us with this internal compass as we seek to do His will. Before Jesus died, He willed us His Peace. God's desire for us is that we live in peace with Him, with ourselves and with our fellowman. He wants us to have peace in the midst of our current circumstances--peace in the morning, at night and all times in between. Peace is our inheritance! And it is a wonderful possession. Trust in yourself and you are doomed to disappointment; but trust in God, and you are never to be confounded in time or eternity.