Hearts yearn for peace. In fact,
a common greeting in many languages is to wish someone peace, like shalom (Hebrew) or aloha (Hawaiian). Even Jesus
Christ used it (John 20:19; John 20:21; John 20:26).
How about your life? Are you
stressed out with life’s pressures and wanting more peace? Most people would
say yes!
The Bible focuses on three areas
of peace: personal peace of mind, doing what we can to have peace in our
relationships with others and eventual peace among all nations.
True peace of mind is an inner
calm, contentment and confidence no matter what the outer circumstances. This
seems impossible, but “with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27).
A planet without peace
We live in a frightening and
frenzied world. We used to hear of someone being a nervous wreck or suffering a nervous breakdown. Emotions haven’t changed as much as
terminology. Tension, anxiety,
depression and panic
attacks are the common designations today.
One result is the overuse and
abuse of alcohol and legal drugs as well as the use of illegal drugs—as people
turn to temporary escapism instead of seeking long-term solutions.
Finding peace in a contentious
world can seem hopeless, but Scripture tells us to “seek peace and pursue it”
(1 Peter 3:11). Seek it by taking time to read the Bible, by far the greatest
book on peace ever written (Colossians 3:15-16). Pursue it through prayer to
the very “God of peace” (Hebrews 13:20).
Christ’s followers are protected
from many trials and dangers, but not all. In fact, some trials, like
persecution, happen because of trying
to “live godly in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:12).
The key is to rely on Christ, the
source of sublime peace (John 14:27; John 16:33) and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah
9:6). He can “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).
Practical principles and
spiritual dangers
To experience peace, you must
take responsibility for your thoughts (Philippians 4:8). With God’s help you
can quit reacting with
anger or self-pity. It’s not your circumstances or other people that determine
your mood; it is your attitude about
them. “Whoever has no rule over
his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Proverbs
25:28, emphasis added throughout).
Today, many good books and
Websites have practical advice on reducing physical and mental stress. Some
keys are to learn good interpersonal skills, be positive and flexible,
exercise, get good nutrition and sleep, learn to relax, and rest one day
each week.
However, don’t trust everything
that is written. New Age teachings, based on pagan ideas with new
scientific-sounding terminology, have mushroomed in popularity. As people have
pushed the Bible out of their lives, they have been filling the spiritual
vacuum with a dangerous counterfeit spirituality.
Learning and living by the Bible
brings more mental and emotional benefits than any New Age teaching.
Furthermore, instead of being drawn into the paganism of false gods, one is
drawing close to the true Creator God who inspired the Bible.
Fear and worry versus faith,
courage and peace
For most people, the most common
type of meditation—thinking intently on a particular subject—is fear or worry!
But guess what single command in
the Bible occurs more often than any other? Fear not.
But how is that possible? We must
replace fear with faith —a
childlike trust in your heavenly Father. “You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).
The Hebrew expression translated
“perfect peace” here is literally “peace, peace.” It refers to the superior kind of peace that God makes possible for human
beings. And those who have this peace are hoping for ultimate divinepeace in
the resurrection!
Trust in God to be your shelter
and shade, your refuge and fortress (Psalms 61:4; Psalms 121:5; Psalms
91:2). David wrote, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalms 23:4).
Worry is a type of fear, and
Jesus repeatedly said, “Do not worry” (Matthew 6:25-34). Worry is a waste of
time and energy. The Creator provides for all His creatures, and “you are of more value than many
sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).
We cannot experience true faith
and peace without obedience to God. His perfect commandments define the way of
peace. God said, “Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace
would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea”
(Isaiah 48:18).
The issue of fear is not
primarily about emotion. “Fear not” means to have the courage to do the right thing even when it seems
frightening. Knowing “the L ord your God is with you wherever you go” will give
you the needed “good courage” to go forward anyway (Joshua 1:9).
The greatest key to peace:
God’s Spirit
True peace of mind depends on
attaining “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
Begin by humbly turning control
over to God. Trying to manage our lives on our own generally brings only
frustration and confusion, yet “God is not the author of confusion but of
peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33).
Do as Peter instructed: “Repent,
and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
These two great gifts of
God—forgiveness and the Holy Spirit—result in “righteousness and peace and joy”
(Romans 14:17). Even better, they lead to the greatest gift of all—eternal life
(Romans 6:23). The “hope of eternal life” takes away the “fear of death” (Titus
1:2; Hebrews 2:15). No other comfort compares!
In Galatians 5:22-23, the
apostle Paul is apparently likening the Holy Spirit to a tree of life. He said,
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.”
Consider carefully the
relationship of peace to all the other virtues that come through the Spirit.
Each helps produce and maintain all the others.
Consider also the contrast
between the fruit of the Spirit and the “works of the flesh”—human nature—in Galatians
5:19-21, including “hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath,
selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness,
revelries, and the like.” God’s Spirit will replace these vices!
“Grace and peace”
Why do Paul’s epistles begin with
variations of the salutation, “Grace to
you and peace from
God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ”? (See, for example, Galatians
1:3.)
Paul may have coined a new phrase
or perhaps adopted a previously little-used phrase. “Grace” (Greek charis ) or “Grace to you” was a
Greek greeting. On the other hand, “Peace” (Hebrew shalom ) was a Jewish greeting.
Paul ministered to Jewish and
Greek Christians, so the greeting “Grace to you and peace” was inclusive and
unifying. “You are all one in
Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
More importantly, the New
Testament adds great theological meaning to “grace” and “peace.”
Grace includes God’s wonderful
gift of forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7). Grace heals the guilt! It is the great prerequisite to peace. First
pardon, then peace.
God’s grace also makes us “sons
of God” (Galatians 3:26). What peace to know we are the beloved of our
gracious Father!
Therefore the distinctly
Christian greeting gave honor to the One who gives us grace and, as a result,
real peace.
Enjoy peace and
be peacemakers
Peace and harmony come to those
who extend it to others. Paul wrote, “If it is possible, as much as depends on
you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). We are called to be
peacemakers, following the example of the supreme Peacemaker (Matthew 5:9).
Pray that God will make it
possible for His people to “lead a quiet and peaceable life” (1 Timothy 2:2).
Pray for peace of mind. Pray for peaceful relationships. And pray for God’s
peaceful Kingdom to come soon!
Paul’s admonition in Philippians
4:6-7 (Revised Standard Version) beautifully summarizes this wonderful
subject: “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all
understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
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