Peace

Peace

The song Peace by Bethel Music has been on my mind and in my heart all week since I first heard it in church this Sunday. I felt God pulling me all week to write about Peace. The Hebrew word for peace, šālôm, is most often translated by the Greek word, eirēnē,  which refers to the idea of totality or completeness, success, fulfillment,  harmony, security and well being. As I sit here staring at the meaning of peace, I am taken aback by how difficult our world makes it to realize these things. It feels often impossible to feel total and complete, when the next task is always knocking at our door; to feel safe without locks on our door; to feel well being when the media tells us all the ways we should be different. How to we have feelings of harmony and security when our news is filled with heartache, fear, and devastation? The answer is simple, we cannot find peace in the world, we can only find peace with God. In John 16:33 Jesus tells us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” This world brings us trouble each and every day. The greatest thief to my own personal peace is my desire for control. I look around me at an out of control world and I want to fix every problem that comes my way in order to insure the most optimal outcome. I was raised to work hard for the things you want.  However often times this brings me the opposite of peace. It brings fear of failure, self doubt, stress, and worry. Some problems are too big, and not every problem is within my control to fix. CS Lewis said in Mere Christianity, “To what will you look for help if you will not look to that which is stronger than yourself?”This phrase was an eye opener for me. When something is too heavy, I ask someone stronger to help me lift it. Why then, is it so difficult for me to rely on God's strength to help solve my problems and instead bring worry and fear onto myself? 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” That feels like such a monumental task for me. However without it, my anxiety, my worry, and my fear rob me of my peace. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Time and time again God has told us that we needn't be anxious, we needn't worry, just rely on him and he will give us peace.  Yet time and time again we feel that we should take the burden on ourselves to fight our personal Goliath with nothing but a stone. However David didn't fight Goliath with just a stone, he had the grace of God on his side and relied on Him to win the battle for him. Isn't it such the petulant child to hear to the advice of their parent, and yet do it your own way anyhow? I guess that is a sign of maturity in our walk with Christ as well. Eventually as we age we realize that our parents were right and we start taking their advice instead of following our own misguided path. And eventually in our walk with Christ we see the way He had been leading us all along. If only we would have trusted in Him more, we wouldn't have experienced the peace robbing worry and anxiety of the unknown along the way. The truth is, our path may be unknown to us, but not to God and he is guiding our paths. We may at times feel lost, but we have the greatest tour guide to get through it, as he created the world we are trying blindly to navigate through. What is robbing you of your peace today? Pray to the Lord to take your burden of anxiety and worry and let him give you His peace in return.

In past weeks we have talked about grace and forgiveness and how difficult forgiveness can be. The hurt that we carry when we struggle to forgive can really steal our peace from us. Hebrews 12:14 tells us “ Make every effort to lie in peace with everyone and to be holy, without holiness no one will see the Lord.” How difficult is it to lie in peace with everyone!? I think God knows how hard this is for us which is why he left these instructions in Romans 12:17-21 “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, “ says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” God is essentially telling us to kill those who wronged us with kindness! However, he knows that we can not do this alone. He wants us to find comfort in relying on Him for the hard things. The song I posted last week, Peace by Bethel Music, sings these lyrics “You give me peace that  holds me when I'm broken, sweet peace that passes understanding. When the whole wide world is crashing down, I fall to my knees and breathe in your peace.” The Lord knows the transgressions that have been done to you are horrible, and the Lord knows that it feels that the world is crashing down on you, but He asks that you allow Him to hold you in his arms and give you his peace. Who are we to deny Him?  He will take care of everything, all he asks is that you unburden your heart and lean on Him. Matthew 11:28-30 asks us  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Release your burden of anger on Him, ask Him to help you find forgiveness, and allow Him to give you His peace. He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, nothing is too great for Him to overcome. Take time to pray today for God's peace. Ask Him to help you to learn to forgive and live each day in the comfort of His peace.