True and Lasting Peace

Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him]

be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise].

To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers].

And be thankful [to God always] (Colossians 3:15 Amp).

Many of us don’t know that we are relying on a false sense of peace until God takes it away.

Our peace may come from a substance, like food, alcohol or drugs; our peace may come from other people, our peace may come from our performance or work; our peace may come from material things and security; or our peace may come from entertainment, like movies, vacations or social media.

However, the Bible says our true and lasting peace only comes from God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Peace through Jesus doesn’t cost us anything. It is free and lasting. We don’t have to seek “more” of His peace because He doesn’t run out. The fullness of God’s peace has already been given to us in Jesus Christ.

Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14.27 NIV).

The peace that Jesus offers us is not of this world and cannot be found in the things of this world.

If we wake up and consume another form of peace other than the peace of Christ first thing in the morning, that peace will have to sustain us all day. We may have to take in more of the false peace to prevent us from feeling anxious, worried, tired, defeated and even demoralized.

The same goes for when we go to sleep. If we go to sleep in a form of peace other than true lasting peace in Christ, our sleep may lack true restfulness. The Bible says that if we seek God day and night, He will keep us in peace. “

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26.3 NLT).

So how do we gain the peace of God?

Sometimes, it can happen to us miraculously. We may be going through a difficulty, and as we cry out to God, He instantly covers us with His peace.

Other times, however, God’s peace is a matter of renewing our minds in Him and allowing God to change the way we think.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12.2 NLT).

We have to train our minds, hearts and bodies to rely on God’s peace and not other false forms of peace.

This will be a process of learning to let go of false peace and relying on the peace of God. The world seeks a false, diminishing peace, but God gives us His true, lasting peace in Christ (Romans 5.1).

We find God’s peace by following the words found in Philippians 4.6-7 (NIV): “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.”

In order to displace anxiety (lack of peace), we learn to pray (communicating with God), petition (asking of God), thanksgiving (thanking God for all He has done) and present (leaving all our worries, requests and thanksgivings at God’s feet). Once we have learned how to do these four things, we will be left with only the peace of God which has been there the entire time.

Therefore, when we wake up and before we sleep, if we seek God and pray, petition, give thanks and present everything to God, we will have the Peace of Christ all throughout the day and night. Then we can enjoy food, people, work, material things and entertainment without relying on those things for our peace because the Prince of Peace is already sustaining us with His peace (Isaiah 9.6).

 

You can listen to the podcast of this meditation HERE.