My Peace

My Peace
By Erin Lamb

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” John 14:27.

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety,” Psalm 4:8.

Peace. Shalom. What a wonderful picture that blankets our minds when we think of peace. We all crave peace. I think of sitting on a beach with the warmth and sunshine; serenity and peace bathing my mind as I listen to the waves crash against the shore. Ah so peaceful. However, the world is often the opposite of a peaceful place. Sometimes the world we live in is chaotic, hectic, crazy, irritating, loud, and there are things that occur daily that rob us of peace.

Peace in Trouble:

How are we to remain peaceful in a world full of trouble? Jesus told us that in the world there would be trouble, but to take heart He overcame the world (John 16:33). Jesus tells us plainly that we will face trouble, heartache, persecution, disappointments, and hard times. However, Jesus gave us so many wonderful words about His Peace. He also demonstrated walking in peace. He remained stable despite the storms and challenges He faced. We only see Him in the garden of Gethsemane crying out in anguish to the Father for what was to come. Jesus was not doubtful, fretful, nor did He worry. Why? Because He knew who He was (the Son of God) and He knew who His Father was (God the Father). When we know who we are (beloved child of God) and who our Father is (a loving, caring, compassionate, giving Father), then we worry less. When we see the world turning upside down we can say, “I know Who is in control. It will be okay because my Father is good and He loves me.”

We lose our peace when we fail to trust Him. It’s that simple.  

His Peace, Not Our Peace:

I think it’s great that Jesus did not say, “Rely on yourself. Rely on your peace.” He said, “My peace I give to you.” He knows that as human beings we will worry, fret, be fearful, and often restless. So He said, “Here I am giving you what is Mine to have and to use.” His Spirit is peaceful. He is Peace. If we are His children then His Peace lives in us. We have the Great One living in us. So when situations arise and we are leaning towards fear, worry, fret, and despair, we can say, “I don’t have to rely on my peace. I have His Peace in me. God will take care of all my needs, cares, concerns, and desires by His goodness.”

Closing thoughts:

There are so many days of my life that were wasted because I failed to rely on His Peace. I even went through a long period of time where I would not answer the phone because I was so tired of bad news. The truth is life will throw you curve balls. You may have to take care of a sick parent. You make get sick. You may lose a job, lose a friend, or lose something you love. You may invest your life in something that is here today and gone tomorrow. We don’t know what the future holds here on earth. But we do know the One who promises to be a Rock, an Anchor, a Friend, a Healer, a Comforter, a Provider, a Wise Counselor, a Hope, a Savior, a Redeemer, and our Peace. So I pray that this week you and I rest in His Peace. He promises to never leave or forsake us. It may not look like He is moving on our behalf but as a loving Dad, He always is! He loves us. He is for us. He never lies and His promises for us are true. May our hearts not only believe in Him, but believe everything He says. You are deeply loved. ☺