There is no doubt that the world
is lacking in peace. It appears to get worse as time passes; but worse is the
fact that men also lack peace. Peace is such an issue in the world today that
some people take unhealthy drugs and smoke unhealthy things because they want
to live in an unreal world where they forget all their troubles and seem to
live in peace but are in truth more troubled than any other person. Sometimes
you talk to people and you can tell just from their responses that they are
totally confused and lacking in peace but it ought not to be so with the
believer. I am not by any means suggesting that life is always smooth sailing
for the believer, because the storms of life do not leave any adult out and as
some say “peace is not the absence of troubles”, but there is something about
the peace for God which the believer should enjoy. This peace is a gift, one of
the privileges enjoyed by the believer and He whom God chooses to bless. It is definitely beyond understanding because it
is despite all the storms one may be going through.
Isaiah 48: 22 “But there is no peace for the wicked, says the lord.”
Isaiah 32: 17 “And the righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will
bring quietness and confidence forever.”
This peace which comes from
within is not one that men can buy. It is a fruit of the Spirit of God and an
outflow of the presence of Christ in life. Christ is The Prince of
Peace and that is the reason every believer is entitled to peace. Though men
can’t buy peace, God can and already did.
He paid for the peace and gave it freely to all who receive Christ as
their personal Lord and Saviour. Unfortunately, this peace may be inside a person
and yet be inaccessible because Jesus is not allowed to be Lord in their lives.
Those who have not experienced Him cannot understand this peace; it remains a
mystery to them. Such people don’t understand one who is calm and peaceful
despite being in the midst of storms. Sometimes, they may even think one is
crazy or not smart enough to realize the depths of the storms in their lives
but that is not correct. The believer enjoys a certain peace that makes them
calm in the face of even the worst storms. This is such a major advantage
because one makes the best decisions when they are at peace and we are required
to make decisions whenever there are storms in one’s life. Only the right
decisions can bring you out well.
Philippians 4: 7 “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds
anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you
live in Christ Jesus.”
2 Thessalonians 3: 16 “Now may the God of all peace give you his peace
at all times and in every situation.”
Nothing and no one can give
peace; only Jesus Christ can because He is peace. This peace which people seek
in various places and yet are unable to get or even buy since a price which no
man can pay, the blood of Jesus has been paid for it by God, has transforming
power. This is not happiness because one can be happy and still have that
nagging unsettling feeling that is so troubling one can’t get past it. It is
much more powerful than happiness; it is a calm assurance that says “even this will
pass” and not by power but by God who is with you. This peace though, can be
lost for even the silliest reasons which could go from insecurities to
selfishness or any other such things which could seem frivolous and small but
can ruin lives. Whenever we take our eyes off Jesus, we lose our peace; and
that even when our focus is on us. Self cannot give peace; no one else can even
if they love you so much. I think if we know how important this peace is we would
guard it. It is so important that, as a friend pointed out to me, Paul opened
all his all his letters in the New Testament with a prayer for peace to be increased
in the lives of people he wrote to. We, as believers ought to take advantage of
the fact that we have this peace. It is our decision whether or not we do.
Colossians 5: 15a “And let the peace of that comes from Christ rule in
your hearts.”
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