Have you ever wondered why peace is so elusive? I’m not talking about the absence of war or turmoil, but an inner peace that produces a calm sense of well-being. A tranquil spirit comes easily when all is going well, but what happens when your personal world falls apart? Does peace quickly evaporate when your circumstances change?
Jesus gives His followers a type of peace that endures through the most trying situations: “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor fearful” (John 14:27). If you’re a Christian, you’ve probably felt inexplicable peace uphold you in a crisis, but you may be wondering why you don’t consistently experience it. We’d all like it to come automatically, but Jesus’ promise includes a command—to not let our hearts be troubled or afraid. His peace is freely given, but the way we respond often determines whether we experience it.
The Greek word for “peace” in the New Testament derives from a verb that means “to join,” and that’s exactly what it does. Through Christ, three areas separated by sin are reconciled. You can think of God’s peace as a three-legged stool.
Peace With God. The first essential leg is reconciliation with God. We are all born sinful and alienated from the Lord, and according to Isaiah 48:22, “There is no peace for the wicked.” But God took the initiative to bring us back into a relationship with Himself—He did this by sending His Son to die on the cross, thereby bearing the penalty for our sins. If we’ll trust in Christ for forgiveness and reconciliation, we’ll have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). Instead of being His enemies, we become His beloved children, who are joined to Him via an unbreakable bond.
Peace of God. Once we’ve been reconciled to the Father through faith in Christ, we can then have the second leg of threefold peace—the peace of God, which guards our heart and mind (Phil. 4:7). It’s not something we can manufacture with relaxation exercises or positive thinking. God’s peace is produced by the Spirit who indwells us (Gal. 5:22-23).
The Lord has provided everything necessary for us to experience peace in our heart and mind.
The Lord has provided everything necessary for us to experience peace in our heart and mind. Therefore, if our spirit is still unsettled, we need to examine ourselves. Since Christ’s peace is unaffected by circumstances, the problem is not our situation but rather our response to it. We could be harboring sinful attitudes, thought patterns, or emotions that are robbing us of peace. Anger, impatience, bitterness, resentment, and worry are evidence that we are not walking in the Spirit.
Paul said, “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:6). Whenever our thoughts, desires, or expectations aren’t aligned with the Spirit, we’re in conflict with Him and can have no peace. “For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want” (Gal. 5:17). The Spirit’s fruit of peace comes only when our life is joined with Him in submission and obedience.
Peace With One Another. The final leg of the stool is peace with other people. Even though we’ve likened peace to separate legs on a stool, which are seemingly independent of one another, they’re really consecutive in nature. Unless we have peace with God, we can’t have the peace of God. And in order to live in peace with others, we must have His peace ruling within us. Many of the emotions that cause inner turmoil also keep us from having harmonious relationships. Think about it. How can we live at peace with others when we’re filled with jealousy, resentment, unforgiveness, anger, or bitterness? It’s not possible!
There will be times when people offend, mistreat, or speak about you with unkind or untrue comments. These things are unavoidable, but you don’t have to respond sinfully. When you face such an affront, ask God to give you the grace to do what He has commanded: “Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other” (Col. 3:12-13).
“Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.”
Do you remember the meaning of the Greek word for peace—”joining together” what has been separated? In Christ, we have been reconciled to the Father, united in submission with the Holy Spirit, and knit together with other believers in one body. Genuine, stabilizing peace requires all three legs of the stool, and each one comes from a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Only then will we have peace like a river flowing through our life in every circumstance.
Reflect
Are you lacking any part of God’s three-fold peace? If you’re a Christian, you already have peace with God, but maintaining the other two requires cooperation with the Spirit. Thankfully, there are certain practices that can help.
- GOD’S WORD (Psalm 119:165). Reading the Bible regularly will calm our heart and fill our mind with truth. Are you filtering your perception of situations through the Lord’s promises, purposes, power, and provision? Do your thoughts and emotions reveal trust or distrust of God?
- OBEDIENCE (Phil. 4:9). Is there any rebellion in your spirit? Do you doubt God’s goodness and love or become impatient if He doesn’t change your situation as fast as you desire? Are you harboring unforgiveness, anger, or resentment against someone who has hurt you? Do you rehearse and relive the offense instead of thinking about what is good, honorable, and true? All these subtle forms of disobedience are obstacles to peace.
- PRAYER (Phil. 4:6-7). Instead of being anxious, we should pray about everything. Do you bring your worries and fears to the Lord and leave them with Him, or are you quick to take them back?
Pray
Heavenly Father, You are the Lord of peace. Therefore, I ask You to grant me Your peace in every circumstance so that it can overflow into all my relationships (2 Thess. 3:16). In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Meditate
- Romans 5:1-2
- Romans 12:17-18
- Philippians 4:6-9
- Colossians 3:12-16
Practice
Jesus told His disciples, “Do not let your heart be troubled” (John 14:1). There is no switch to simply turn off a troubled heart, but Jesus also explained how to do it—believe in God and trust what He says (v. 1)
The next time your heart becomes troubled, go immediately to God’s Word. As you learn of His greatness, goodness, and love, your trust in Him will increase, and the troubles of your heart will diminish (Isa. 26:3). You can also go to Him in prayer and cast all your anxiety on Him, knowing that He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7).
