With so much unrest in the world today, it seems like we all could use a little more peace. I know I could!
There are basically two kinds of peace in our lives, outside peace and inside peace. The two go hand in hand in many situations, but not always. Our inside peace is not necessarily related to our outside peace. It is available to be peaceful inside in a bad situation, just as we can be unpeaceful when nothing is wrong.
When the craziness of the world is encroaching on us, we will often seek a peaceful place to which we can escape. Maybe we retreat to nature, or curl up with a good book, or even take a luxurious bubble bath. Immersing ourselves in quiet surroundings and doing something we enjoy can help us combat the world’s insanity and put our minds at ease. This is not a bad practice. The Bible says that Jesus Christ sought quiet solitude on multiple occasions. (Example, Mark 1:38)
The reason we seek peaceful surroundings is to gain peace on the inside. The chaos of the world is very unsettling, and sometimes it can rob us of our inside peace. Perhaps there are situations in our lives that seem insurmountable. Those times can certainly send our minds into a flurry of unpeaceful thoughts. Finding a tranquil environment helps us regroup. Our external surroundings can provide calming affects, but to really have peace on the inside takes more than that. It takes an internal conviction.
The most peaceful thing in this world is God’s peace. It is perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3), and God gives it to His people (Psalm 29:11). In John 14:27, Jesus Christ says that the peace he gives is not as the world gives. God’s peace is what we need. This is the peace that guards our hearts and minds. It is the peace that allows us to be patient and assures us of God’s answers to our prayers. It is the peace that keeps our minds focused on our future in heaven.
Even though God generously provides His peace, the realization of that peace happens when we believe God’s words. Did you know that every Pauline Epistle includes the words, “peace from God” in the salutation? It must be an important thing for us to have. It is! When we are filled with God’s peace, we will rise above our circumstances rather than our circumstances taking us down. When we have that peace, we will be able to see positives instead of negatives, see the big picture, see the light at the end of the tunnel and those things, in turn, will give us the peaceful assurance that we’ll be okay.
In practice, we must claim God’s peace in our minds. We must fight for truth and not allow the world to talk us out of it. I heard a teacher call peace, “the state of undisturbed believing”. Isn’t that what we all want? Those stupid thoughts that creep into our minds and cause us to doubt and worry will be defeated by the peace of God that surpasses our understanding.
So when the world starts raising a ruckus in your mind, it’s not a bad idea to take some time to secure an outside peace so that you can restore your inside peace with God. Then allow that peace to flood your mind with its comforting encouragement. When you do that, you open the door for God to go to work by your undisturbed believing.
I referenced more scriptures than usual in this post because it really is the peace of God that we need in this world today. The best that the world can provide for people is a false sense of security that can be taken away at any time. When we trust God and look to Him to take care of us, we will have a peace that the world cannot take away. We will live above the madness!
John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Note to my readers: Peace! Thanks for reading.