Peace Can Be Ours

Is it possible to have peace in a world full of worry, stress, and anxiety? The answer is “yes.” Peace is a state of harmony, quiet, or freedom from inner distress. Another word we can use for peace is serenity, which means a state of being calm, peaceful, and free from stress or anxiety. You’re probably thinking there’s no way a calm, peaceful state can be achieved. I get it! I have struggled with anxiety for several years. However, I have been slowly discovering a certain peace that has seemed to elude me in the past. This peace isn’t something I have discovered in this world. It’s a peace rooted in Jesus.

“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 the words of Jesus. It’s a promise that we can have peace, even in the midst of uncertainty. The fear of uncertainty is one of the things that drives our anxiety. Not knowing, feeling we have no control is more than likely the cause of our anxiety. At least for me it is. In my drinking years I thought I was in control, but that was my addiction talking to me. I realize now that I have very little control. However, I follow Jesus, who has control over everything, even my anxiety. If we believe in Jesus and have placed our faith in Him, these words from John 14:27 are for us. Jesus never breaks a promise. The peace Jesus offers is there for us to take hold of.

Jesus tells us that His peace, peace He finds in the Father, is our peace. The peace Jesus gives us cannot be found anywhere else. It’s not from the world. We will never find true peace outside of Jesus. Peace never comes out of chaos. We can have peace in the chaos, but from the chaos. So when we turn to Jesus we will find the peace we so desperately want and need. We can find serenity in the midst of our anxiety. Jesus tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” The peace of Jesus doesn’t mean freedom from struggles and uncertainty. It means we can have peace, not anxiety, in the midst of our struggles and anxiety. So when anxiety grips us we can focus on our struggles and uncertainties, or we can turn our focus on Jesus, who offers us His peace. Jesus is offering us His peace. We have tried other methods to relieve our anxiety, but none have truly given us peace. We need to accept the peace Jesus promised us.

The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We don’t have to understand how it works. All we have to do is accept Jesus’ peace He is offering us. It’s a peace that will guard our hearts and minds.