By Melissa McLaughlin
Peace
I invite you to pause for just a moment and allow these words of Jesus to wash over you:
“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
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “peace” has several shades of meaning:
- 1:a state of tranquility or quiet: such as a.freedom from civil disturbance b.state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom
- 2:freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
- 3:harmony in personal relations
- 4a:state or period of mutual concord between governments b:pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity
Peace with God
Each of these examples of peace evoke a sense of quiet tranquility. Still, we recognize that God alone is the true source of all peace. Therefore, any worldly efforts at peace will only be a passing shadow of the lasting peace God intended for us.
From the start, humankind has rejected the peace offered by God. We know from the Biblical account in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve, the very first man and woman, disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden and from that time on, all humans carry the seed of that sinful and disobedient nature within our hearts.
Gratefully, the mercy and grace of God prevailed, as He sent His one and only Son to pay the penalty for our sin and rebellion against His commands.
Through the immeasurable and painful sacrifice of Jesus, God reconciled us to Himself and peace WITH God is possible again as it was in the very beginning. Truly we cannot experience of the peace OF God, until we find peace WITH God by confessing and believing in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Christ Brings Peace with God
This is the peace of Christ! This is the peace of Christmas! For those who accept and believe, Jesus has made us right again with God. This precious gift of right-standing before God is a peace that is wider, longer and more deeply satisfying than anything earth can supply. Further, unlike worldly pleasures, this peace can never be taken from us.
However, to remain in one accord with God, we must also maintain a humble heart before God. How is this possible? James 5:16 states, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
As we daily acknowledge our sins and receive His forgiveness, there is a spiritual healing which allows us to nurture our intimate closeness and peace with the Lord as we yield any rebellion against Him that could hinder our prayers and connection.
The Peace of Christ
In Colossians 3:1-17, we read these truths about the peace of Christ:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
According to this passage of scripture cultivating our life in Christ includes several crucial points.
- Focus your mind, energy and time not on this world, but on heaven, where your life is hidden in Christ with God.
- Cut off, surrender, or “kill” any sinful choices that go against God’s righteous commands. We will never find true inner peace when we are out of alignment with God’s perfect plan.
- Seek to be renewed in the image of God, our Creator, who calls us to be holy, compassionate, kind, humble, meek, patient, forgiving and loving.
- Invite the peace of Christ to rule in your heart.
- Give thanks to God.
Most of these points are fairly straightforward. However, one idea deserves more careful consideration.
How do we let the peace of Christ RULE, as written in verse 15?
Many times people want peace, but they don’t really want the Prince of Peace.
Many times people want justice, but they don’t really want the King of Justice.
2 Timothy 3:5 describes this tendency as “having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
To desire the Prince of Peace requires us to then step down from our selfish, prideful and self-made royal position where we have appointed ourselves ruler on the throne of our own hearts. Instead of crowning ourselves king or queen, we must allow Christ to rule and reign in our lives.
As we continue reading in verse 16, this matter of allowing Christ to rule is made clear. When we read the Bible, the word of Christ dwells in us richly, for God’s Word is inspired and can reveal the truth of who God is and who we are before Him. His thoughts become bigger than ours. His ways become more cherished than ours. In addition, we teach and gently but earnestly correct one another. Lastly, we join in songs of praise with grateful hearts.
When Christ rules in our hearts, then and only then can we enjoy…
peace WITH God and
the peace OF God.
No earthly treasures, relationships, experiences or accomplishments could ever replace the abiding peace that anchors our souls when we rest in the peace of God through Christ.
Enjoy the Peace of Christ
Enjoy the peace of Christ anew today with these simple steps from Colossians 3:16:
- Read the Bible and invite the Holy Spirit to grow deep roots of His truth within you.
- Seek to be taught and corrected by God’s Word and other mature Bible-believing Christians.
- Lift up the name of Christ through joyful songs of worship.
- Thank God for every good and perfect gift.
Let us remember that peace with God does not come through our perfection, but through Christ’s perfection. That thought alone allows a great peace to settle over our souls like a heavenly blanket of pure sweet snowy-white grace. A Christmas gift to treasure every day. As we continue to walk in the peace that Jesus won for us, let us enjoy His Presence as we draw near through heartfelt Bible reading, vulnerable prayer and jubilant song. Finally, let us respond to His generous gift of eternal peace with a heart of eternal gratitude.
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com.
Additional Resources
Peace on Earth! But What Kind of Peace Did Jesus Bring? By Melissa McLaughlin
How Can I Experience the Peace of God? By Melissa McLaughlin
The Reassurance of a Heavenly Perspective By Dr. Tony Evans
How Can I Have God’s Peace By Charles Stanley
You Cannot Have the Peace of God Unless You Have Peace With God By Greg Laurie
Thank you so much for your post…yes, we must be intentional if we want the Peace of God to rule in our hearts. Such wonderful verses from Colossians! 💖💖💖💖
Thank you, Valerie, for pausing a moment to read and share your thoughts! Colossians is full of great truths as we seek to pursue our Prince of Peace! God bless you with His peace!
Blessings to you too!
No mere washing in peace, I am showering in it sister! Thanks again for another amazing post!
Amen! I love that idea! Let the peace of Christ shower on us! Thank you for reading and for the kind words of encouragement. Praying for the peace of Christ to flood your soul anew!
Beautiful! I am so thankful for His peace! God bless you & Merry Christmas!
The peace of Christ is truly beautiful beyond words! Thank you for sharing in this blessing. May God bless you and yours, Ryan!
I love the line “Many times people want peace, but they don’t really want the Prince of Peace.” This is so true. But the only true peace is through Christ. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for stopping by to read and offer your reflections, too! The only lasting peace is through Jesus and what peace that is! Bless you!
Great message Melissa, thank you and God bless you! We should all seek peace especially during this time of year. 🙂
Thank you for reading and commenting, Christy! I appreciate your kind support. The peace of Christ is so needed. May God bless you with His peace.
Thank you for another inspirational message from the word of God. Of course I want peace, but often I am not willing to do what is required for perfect peace. Thank you for reminding me what true peace means and who the author of that peace is.
–Pam
Dear Melissa,
Oh, thank you for such wonderful Scriptures and thoughts on peace! This especially is touching me tonight: “No earthly treasures, relationships, experiences or accomplishments could ever replace the abiding peace that anchors our souls when we rest in the peace of God through Christ.” Christ’s peace really is abiding, isn’t it? As we look to Him, we see that His peace has never left us, it’s been there all along. Even as we might turn away and look down, He still remains faithful, and is waiting for us! Oh, may I let Christ be Lord in my heart more and more. Blessings to you during this Advent Season!
Dear Bettie,
It’s true, our peace in Christ is so deep and wide and long and high that we can’t truly take it in. I pray we would be awakened anew each day to the great love and grace He has poured out on each of us. You are right, His peace is abiding. Praying for the peace of Christ to dwell in you richly this day!
At this time of year when we focus on the birth of the Prince of peace, we are often far from peaceful due to the harried state of our lives. To already full work and personal lives, we add purchasing, keeping track of shipments and arrivals, wrapping, family activities, seasonal church events, decorating, and baking. I’ve eliminated so many other things like newsletters and Christmas cards and social events, and many of the above I keep to a minimum in pursuit of my minimalist Christ-focused Christmas that centers on Jesus and his peace. Decorating literally took thirty minutes this year, for instance. I may or may not bake. Yet still, these were good words for me today. Yesterday was wrapping and packaging and shipping day, all while getting a novel ready for publication, background prepping the next fiction project, and social media requirements. Next are grandkids’ school programs. I LOVE all of these things! But I find myself feeling harried today. Peace is needed. Jesus himself is required. Continually letting go of the pressure I put on myself to do all of these things perfectly is needed. Resting in who he is and letting him work on my heart and life is essential. Thank you for your focus on peace. I can press reset and recover from the fatigue and the frustration of a lost package and the exacting nature of the prep for shipping task. Peace, peace he leaves with us. Peace, he gives to us. Not as the world, does he give, but real peace, life transforming peace. Thanks, Melissa.
Melinda, your words capture a picture of all of our lives. The One who came to give us eternal Peace, invites us to rest in His peace. Meanwhile, we struggle to avoid the hurried, materialistic life that the world invites us to live. I love your minimalist Christmas, whittled down to Jesus, the whole point of it all. You are setting a most excellent example. Thank you! May the peace of Jesus rule and reign in our hearts, our minds, our schedules, our lives, our weakness and our imperfection. May you rest more fully in His sweet grace today.
Thinking about God’s peace gives me joy and makes me calm. 🙂
So true, Mimi! May God’s peace wash over you even now.
Thank you for this, it is a great reminder of the importance of placing our focus on Jesus. Peace is a wonderful benefit. On a separate note, I like your blog formatting. It is very simple and clear. Blessings!
Thank you, Michelle, for stopping by and for sharing your input. Sadly the pace of the world can block out the peace that Jesus won for us when He came. May we keep drawing ourselves back to Him minute after minute. I’m grateful the blog formatting is helpful. May His truth shine over it all. Blessings!
These words struck me as I read them:
“Many times people want peace, but they don’t really want the Prince of Peace. Many times people want justice, but they don’t really want the King of Justice.”
And such is the way of our world. They want these things but reject the one that brings true peace and justice. But it is also a reminder to us that with peace comes obedience, obedience to the one the King we follow.
Luisa, your points are right on. We can all get drawn into the world’s thinking; wanting the blessings that God gives, but not surrendering and obeying the God, King and Lord who is the Source of all these blessings. It does indeed require a laying down of our own lives and following Him. May our hearts be humbled before Him again today. God bless you!
Truly appreciated this teaching from Colossians 3 and your emphasis on true peace. Thanks! .
Hi Beth, This passage from Colossians 3 is so rich. That’s something I love about the Bible, the more you read and study, the more there is to find. May God bless you with His true peace today!
Dear Melissa, I praise the Lord that He is leading us both in this way of peace and proclaiming it for His glory and our joy. I will add this post as a related article to mine. Blessings.
Melissa, thank you for your thoughtful deep dive into the issue of peace, and also for your very practical and scripture-based steps to being at peace with God and receiving His peace! You’ve given me a lot to consider.
Brianna, I appreciate your kind words of encouragement. The peace of God is very different from the peace of the world. So, it only stands to reason that experiencing His peace will come as we follow His ways and His Word. May the peace of God guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus always!
In recent weeks, I’ve been studying the Bible’s many passages about Peace, many of which you reference in this article. Even though the Peace Jesus offers “surpasses understanding”, we still need to talk about it, share it, lean into it, grow deeper in it. Thanks for your inspiring words!
A very topical message, we well hear the following verse quoted a lot at Christmas services,;
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. Isaiah 9:6-7…. it is helpful to be reminded of some of the practical realities and implications of just what Peace means
Dear Melissa!
Your post reminded me of the importance of being quiet while listening to His voice.
You also talked about letting go of the idea of us being perfect – I really like that perspective 🙂
May we all have a wonderful Christmas where the focus is Jesus who’s the reason for this season.
With love!
Edna Davidsen
Dear Edna, your insights are spot on. I pray that I can quiet myself to hear His voice soft and clear over the noise of the holidays. Jesus’ perfection in my place gives me a great sense of peace. Glad you experience that, too. God bless you and yours this Christmas!
Much love, Melissa
Thank you, Melissa. We had a great Christmas; hope you and your had as well.
We did, as well. Thank you!
Amen! I just read the book of Colossians yesterday, so it was interesting to see your thoughts on the chapter 3 passage 💕.
Wow! I love when the Holy Spirit lines up our lives and spirits in just like that, by affirming His messages in multiple ways. Colossians 3 is so full of deep and powerful truth. May the love and grace of Jesus keep you in perfect peace this Christmas season!
Thank you and likewise! 💕