Peace is a Person.
“I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” John 16:33
Last week’s devotional hit on trials. Clearly the above verse states in no uncertain terms that we will all face our own trials. My story is filled with its own unique trials through which God has answered prayers and done numerous wonderful things.
For the purpose of this devotional, I’ll focus on one teaching that my trials have in common. Perhaps yours do too. During trials, I’ve prayed – fervently – sometimes for years – for God’s strength, for God’s guidance, and for God’s peace. It took me a very long time to realize what I prayed for when I asked for “peace.” I expected to achieve the mental state of “peace.” I boiled peace down to a simple definition of a God-given, invincibly calm mental-state in the midst of my problems. It’s what I thought I needed. But what I missed was that Peace was standing alongside of me throughout everything. Peace said, “Trust me.” Peace said “I’ve got this.” Peace said “I am Lord. I’m going to take care of you. Be still.” Peace said “It doesn’t matter what it looks like, I am working.”
A phrase I see every day at my desk is: “Peace is not the absence of problems. Peace is the presence of God.” You can have Peace and pain at the same time because Peace is not a feeling.
Peace is God. Peace is an actual being – our Holy Trinity – God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. Jesus is our missing Peace and when we stop fixating on our problems and instead fix our eyes on Him, we will experience the Peace surpassing all understanding in Philippians 4:7.
In Mark 4:39, Jesus calms the storm with the words “Peace, be still.” Who can bring peace to waves except Him who is Peace?
I learned recently from a Bible study that the Greek word for peace is Eirene, which also means wholeness. Jesus came to restore our relationship with God to wholeness, to restore our Peace.
In Ephesians 2: 17-18, it says Jesus came to bring peace to all so all could have access in one Spirit to the Father. Finally in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, the God of peace sanctifies our body, mind, and soul. Who can reconcile us to God except Him who is perfect Peace?
Our challenge is to stop seeking peace as a state of mind and start thinking of Peace as God himself. Once you understand that Peace is always standing right beside you -never changing, perfect in his faithfulness – and focus your thoughts on who you know God is, you’ll achieve the emotion/mental state you were seeking with confidence in God’s presence, confidence in his protection, and confidence in his plan.
