The Best Peace
Not all peace is good for us.
Do you long for peace? What comes to your mind when you consider peace? When we use the word "peace", we can mean many different things - lack of external conflict, a calm demeanor, no more war, unity, agreement, a settled spirit, tranquility, freedom from disruption, a friendly greeting, a quiet place, a still space, or reconciliation. There's one kind of peace that trumps all the others, so let's talk about the best peace.
Peace that endures
When I'm anxious or upset, frustrated or discouraged, I ache to find peace. There's a kind of peace we long for but is seldom actually helpful and another kind that we often forget to seek but will fix our perspective on everything else. We have to learn the difference to know how to find peace that lasts.
Worldly Peace ~ Human
Usually when we say we need peace, we want a lack of conflict and difficulty. We want the people and circumstances in our life to line up and behave the way they're supposed to. Trials, difficulties and problems need to hit the road and leave us alone.
don't make your peace dependent on things working out the way you hoped as soon as possible. True peace depends on God's presence, promises, and power, not on your own personal idea of "perfect".
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Sounds nice, I know. I've begged for it myself plenty of times but it's actually not the ideal set up for us. Conflict is messy and exhausting, but sometimes, it can serve a constructive purpose. The presence of strife can cause us to:
Seek God more
Crack open our Bibles
Ask for wisdom and counsel
Sharpen our interpersonal skills
Understand someone else's point of view
Listen better
Lean on God instead of our own understanding
Produce perseverance
Increase perseverance and tolerance
Display God's glory through our trial
Press into a supportive relationship or community
Refine our values
On what does your peace rest?
Of course, I'm not saying you should go asking for trouble to get these benefits. Nor am I saying you shouldn't pray for relief from difficulty. By all means, ask for what you need, pray for healing, peace, recovery, breakthrough, and deliverance.
BUT... don't make your peace dependent on things working out the way you hoped as soon as possible. True peace depends on God's presence, promises, and power, not on your own personal idea of "perfect".
Too often, when we seek peace, what we're really wanting is escape. We desire to sidestep the issue or bypass the trial to get to the good stuff. It's like skipping the veggies and going straight to dessert.
It's tempting to go after the outcome we naturally want when we are eager to escape the pain rather than seek God's greater purpose in it. Like a skilled surgeon, God never wastes our pain. He alone can take what was meant for evil and turn it into good. He brings blessings to us and glory to himself when we trust him in the middle of our trial.
Instead, we need to remember that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is himself our peace. In other words, peace isn't something he gives us. He IS peace. We have peace when he's with us, even if the storm is raging around us.
Christ himself is our peace.
Ephesians 2:14b
Godly Peace ~ Divine
Godly peace, on the other hand, is so much more than just getting what we think we want. His peace is other-worldly tranquility that goes far beyond our comprehension. God's peace is the best peace there is because it is full and complete. Feeling calmed and comforted in the midst of the trial is just something we cannot wrap our minds around.
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.
Philippians 4:7
WHAT IS DIVINE PEACE?
The Best Peace
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Divine peace does not depend on a promise the pain will go away but an assurance of God's presence during it. We can experience supernatural peace even when our circumstances don't change.
God himself guards our hearts and minds enabling us to stand strong until the trial is over or He calls us home. Jesus told his followers, "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) In other words, by the Holy Spirit, God grants us what the world can never give us no matter how hard we work for it.
HOW DO WE GET IT?
God wants to fill us with his peace. He's not keeping a secret formula. It's all spelled out plainly in His Book. I've compiled a short list to help you get started.
Rejoice always ~ Find something in your difficult to rejoice about. Be a witness of faith to a watching world. (Phil 4:4-5)
Come boldly ~ Go to God confident that he hears you and he cares. (Heb 4:16, 1 Pet 5:7)
Be grateful ~ Thanksgiving is the key that unlocks the door to God's throne room. (Ps 100:4)
Pray constantly ~ Prayer is powerful. Use it. (1 Th 5:17, Ph 4:6-7, James 4:2-3))
Quit worrying ~ Capture your thoughts and make them behave. You can't accomplish anything by worrying anyway. (2 Cor 10:5, Lk 12:25-26, Phil 4:8)
Here's the extremely simplified version:
Prayer + Gratitude = Peace
God's math book
How to Pursue the Best Peace
So hopefully now, you see the difference between these two types of peace and you know which peace is best. You do want to go for the best peace, right?
If you're ready to stop spinning in agonizing circles of anxiety, then I've got a simple plan to get you started. Just download this handy cheat sheet to help you remember the 5 steps to peace. For a fuller explanation of the steps, please read Overcoming Anxiety by Pursuing Peace.
What helps you stay focused on the best kind of peace?
Share your ideas in the comments below.