Peace No Matter the Circumstances
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart, for I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Jesus speaks in the New Testament about being with His children even after He ascended into heaven. Because He conquered death, He gives us the divine relationship with the Holy Spirit, a direct link to Jesus.
This brings us a unique opportunity to let go of our stress and control, allowing God to be in control of it all. In the verse above, Jesus communicates to His people that they can find peace in a relationship with Him. By being connected to Christ, we can find that internal harmony that usually only comes when things in our lives are going the way that we want.
This is a promise that we can have internal peace even in the midst of the chaotic lives that we live because it comes from the Holy Spirit, not ourselves or our circumstances. It’s like we have internal options – instead of freaking out, getting down, isolating, or fighting back – we can rest in Christ.
This verse does not promise that things will be easy or always fun. It doesn’t promise that we will like the outcome or be able to tolerate the changes that life brings. It does promise that we are not alone, and it does promise us a way out emotionally.
Jesus states that there will be trouble in the world around us – things will go wrong, we will make mistakes, people will disappoint us, and we will have emotional reactions to those situations. However, we can rest in Christ because He is bigger than any situation we will encounter.
The Holy Spirit is with us, giving us internal strength and peace to balance out the situation. We can tolerate change and unexpected outcomes. We can tolerate others and even our own faults. The chaos that comes with life won’t change, but with Christ, our response to it can change.
Take Away: Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and take inventory of your feelings. Are you at peace? If not, remind yourself that God has got whatever you are worried about. He’s got it. He can handle it, and ultimately, He is already handling it. Take a moment to find some rest in this truth, reminding yourself that you can respond in a different way. Let Him help.