Peace On Earth

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

Many today think that peace comes from the stuff we surround ourselves with.  If we have a great meal, we can be content.  But then of course we have to deal with buying and making the food or perhaps the indigestion of overindulgence if we go to our favorite restaurant.  If we have nice clothes, we feel happy wearing them  but then they go out of fashion and need to be replaced with the latest fashions.  If we have a nice house, we can be peaceful there.  Yes, it is a place of refuge from the world but it is also a place of constant upkeep, the kids keep messing things up and breaking things, and it seems it is either too hot or too cold most of the time.   It is great that we have these blessings but they only offer temporary peace and happiness.  We always seem to be looking for the next best thing.

If we look to God’s word, and I hope you often do, we find that peace comes from within.  In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”   The peace of God is internal; it is knowing that our sins are forgiven and all is well with our souls if we are faithful to God.  It comes from having a relationship with God through His grace, Jesus’s sacrifice, and our faithful love.  "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5: 1).  It comes from us continuing to try to live our life like Jesus did, even if we often fail to do so.

Since all we have is glimpses of peace, it is hard to understand what this true peace is like.  And some days it seems like everything is lining up against me and I will never see it!  But if we help each other in our Christian walks, and we spread the good news as best we can, an we try and try again to do what God asks of us, God promises that we will someday know.  "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." (John 16:33)