‘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’ (Phil 4:6-7).
Peace is the assurance
of spiritual well being resulting from the consciousness of the right
relationship with God. The Peace that the believer enjoys are three kinds; peace
with God, being at peace with one’s self - inner peace and being at peace with
one’s neighbors. It is important to note that one can only have
inner peace and peace with his neighbors after enjoying peace with God through
Christ.
Rom 5:1 teaches that in the package of
justification – peace with God through Christ is inclusive. It says,therefore,
since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God
because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. This study focuses on
the personal or inner peace that a Christian enjoys as a fruit of the Holy
Spirit. A close study of Phil 4:6-7 reveals that one can only enjoy the peace
of God when he is anxious for nothing, takes everything to God in prayer and
lives a life of faith, trusting in the goodness of God. The last key to
enjoying the peace of God is contentment. This requires an enjoyment of your
blessings as you live with an attitude of gratitude – living each day with the
enumerable blessings of the Lord in full perspective.
In illustrating true
peace, let’s consider two cats. One is sleeping under the shade of a tree after
a good meal; the second is sleeping on a stick that is standing in a river
which is being tossed to and fro by the river’s turbulent currents. Which of
these two scenes illustrate the peace of God? Definitely it is the latter.
Peace is not the absence of adversity but calmness or the condition of freedom
from disturbance in periods of great adversity. It is the mental triumph over
adversity that comes as a result of one’s total dependence on God. This can
only be possible when one trust’s in God’s goodness and takes all things to Him
in prayer with an attitude of gratitude or contentment.
Mat 8:23-27 paints a dramatic picture about
the peace of God. Jesus was travelling on a boat with His disciples when the
storm began to swell up, sweeping over the boat. Naturally, the disciples begun
to panic and there was a great commotion in the boat. However, the intriguing
part of this story is that, Jesus was fast asleep in the midst of this
boisterous storm. A Christian can be in the same stormy boat of
life’s challenges with many others, but still enjoy the peace of God. We may
all live in the heat of the same economy and the storms of the time but the
difference will be the peace of God and the rest that he offers to those who
love Him and enjoy His presence.
If you are leaving in anxiety, it may be because you may have
lost peace with God. Real peace is tested in the midst of a storm. Regardless
of the personal challenges you are going through, today may you enjoy the peace
of God through total dependence on Him, gratitude and faith. May
‘the God of peace be with you… Amen’ (Rom 15:33).
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