What is peace? Is peace holding my tongue when I want to respond in anger? Is peace giving up the right to avenge or seek revenge? Is peace being quiet when asked to give a reason for my true feelings? Is peace trusting in God for the answer and not searching for peace in my intellect? How can I truly experience peace?
Peace. My stabilizer. Without God’s peace, many would go crazy. I know I would. Have you ever been in a situation that led you to cry out to the Lord for peace of mind? Have you ever said to yourself, “If I could just get a little peace in this situation, I’d be OK”? What does it mean to truly be at peace? You’ve totally surrendered all worries, concerns, pain, and discomfort when you receive the peace that only God can give. You have given it all to the One in control.
Without peace, there is no way we can make it. No, we might make it, but how would the road to “making it” be? Life would be complicated – even more so than it is now. We’ve all been there. Life presents a multitude of tests (some harder than others) to face, conquer, and defeat. Without God’s peace, our minds would be overloaded with unrest. Peace is a sweet friend – the type of friend you miss when he/she is away. Peace is the type of friend only found through Jesus. “What a friend we have in Jesus.” Do you remember that old, sweet hymn sung by grandmothers and grandfathers?
I’ve worked in social services for many years. Many times, I’ve walked the halls of mental health units witnessing people – young and old – frantic, dazed, paranoid, and in the midst of delusions. Sometimes, they were so out of it that they disregarded everyone, even those trying to help them, as a threat to their safety. They were in survival mode and fighting (physically and sometimes emotionally) was their outlet. They would withdraw and become guarded. Mentally, they were completely removed from their surroundings. No peace. In isolation – a famous design of the enemy. Without peace, our minds are vulnerable to the enemy’s tactics.
I vividly recall a day on the job when I encountered a gentleman who had lost so much of himself, so much of his mind; he didn’t know where he was. He was a middle-aged man, and when I met him, he was lying in the corner of his unit. He had pulled himself into a fetal position, and his face was toward the ground. The little I learned about him that day was astonishing. He was an intelligent man with two master’s degrees. He had a mind filled with incredible knowledge and facts but sadly, his mind and his peace were gone. He lost his ability to cope. He checked out of life. He was prescribed psychotropic medications to help him sleep and to close out the voices that permeated his mind and stole his peace. He was diagnosed as clinically depressed. Regularly, he became overwhelmed with unrest. During those times, I was reminded how blessed it is to experience the peace of God.
What happened to him? What caused this dissention? If we are true to ourselves, it makes sense to say, “Life happened.” That’s it. Life. See, if you are breathing, you too can testify that life has a way of sending challenges your way. Maybe he lost the ability to cope with life’s stressors. Maybe it all became too much to handle. Have you been there? Yeah, me too. Life can become difficult at times. Checking out seems to be the best and most logical choice when life throws a sucker punch. It can get really tough. The weight of life can become too much to bear. It is a fact that some of us are one bad decision from being in a similar situation. No peace.
While on this journey called life, we must have God’s peace.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world he shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).
Jesus. He has overcome this world, and He alone gives us peace. We can rest safely in our salvation and stand firm in the words of our Savior. Our ability to remain solid and mentally stout in this life depends on God’s peace. His peace is our sanity. It stabilizes life’s problems.
[His peace is our sanity. It stabilizes life’s problems.] Remember this.
We must be confident in this:
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
