Devotionals

Peace

Introduction

Do you know what it feels like to have true peace? It's hard to be calm during stressful or devastating times. Luckily, God freely offers us true peace when we ask for it. It may not arrive instantly, but it will come. There are so many things in this world that can steal our joy if we let them. Instead, let's allow God to transform us using His power to bring healing to our lives.

So, what's peace? Technically, it's
"freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility". I think of it as the wonderful feeling you get when you have no homework at any given time, which turns out to be very rare at the moment (I'm a junior in high school taking college classes). However you define peace, it's the absence of fighting and war. It must be pretty important too, because God mentions it many times in His word. Take a look at a handful of verses that focus on peace.

""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

"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." ~ Philippians 4:6-7

"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

These are all great verses, but I'd like to discuss the last one with you briefly. Jesus said that verse to his disciples not long before He was to be crucified. Even though He was about to die, Jesus gave his best friends some great advice and reminded them of the kind of peace that can only come from God himself. Because we believe in Him, God gives us peace to calm our souls when we're troubled. Besides, His peace is greater than any other kind of peace the world could offer.

On the flip side, we have to ask God to remind us to search for peace. Does that make sense? In other words, God gives us peace, but we have to be willing to sit down and be still. We have to make time for God and allow Him to use that time to strengthen our relationship with Him. But how can we do that in the middle of our busy lives? Here are a couple of ways you can connect with God and accept His peace:

1. Find a quiet place where you can be left alone for a few knitted and just talk with God like you're talking with your best friend. Explain how you're feeling, what you think about whatever is going on in your life, then ask God for comfort, healing, peace, whatever you need. He listens to all of our prayers, and what's even better is that He knows what we need before we even tell Him! Being honest with God is a great way to communicate, and be sure to stay in contact with Him! Don't just 'call' once and never after that; He wants to hear from you consistently.

2. A great way to connect with God is to serve. Some people connect better than others through this method, but there's joy in helping others. Volunteer at your church or help feed the homeless with a group of friends or family. You can even offer to help a teacher file paper work or clean her room; I'm sure she would appreciate it. Whatever you do, just be sure to give God the glory for your good works.
Also, for more ways to connect with God, check out my bible study on Reconnecting with God, which helps when you've lost touch with God and want to gain what you've lost. Anyway, back to peace.

I'd like to go back to a verse we read earlier, John 16:33. ""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."" There's a side note in my bible (True Images NIV bible) that really sums it up well. It says: "Think having peace means being free from trouble? Think again! Jesus guarantees you'll experience pain. But in the midst of craziness, you can also have peace knowing God's in control."

It's hard to have peace when we're stressed, totally burned out, or can't concentrate on anything but our problems. The key is to remember that with God, anything is possible. Even when life is hard, we can have peace knowing. That God knows the bigger picture and that He's working all things for good. Don't focus on your circumstances; focus on God's powerful peace and His comforting presence.