Peace
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27
Most of us don’t have any difficulty trying to find something to worry about. My husband teases me that I can always find a back-up worry if my current worry is resolved. Worry, stress, and anxiety are pretty normal for most of us. We get used to having something gnaw at us, at having drama and unease be a welcome part of our day.
Everywhere we look, there’s some cause for concern. The world is a broken place, we are broken people, and it often feels like things are falling apart. We lack peace within ourselves (We feel alone, we don’t like the choices we make, etc.), with others (We face competition and conflict.), and with God (We wonder if he is truly a trustworthy promisekeeper.). When he encourages us not to worry, do you think God knows the circumstances we face?
The verse above is Jesus’ word to us. He gives us a gracious gift of peace. Jesus knows what our hearts really need, and he offers us HIS peace. What is his peace?
It is NOT the same as what the world offers us. His peace doesn’t depend on our work, our looks, our background, or contribution. His peace comes from a deep trust and knowledge of a good Father in heaven. His peace knows and trusts that God is for him. His peace is given to us when we look to him to rescue us from our sin.
Even though the world is still a broken place, the peace that Jesus gives guards us in the brokenness. The peace that he promises is a peace that stays with us in the midst of trouble and difficulty. When we’re faced with a problem, we can choose to be consumed by the worry or we can choose to treasure up God’s peace, trusting that his promises are true.
For Further Reading: Philippians 4:7