There’s somethin’ to be said for just restin’, for just sittin’ an’ watchin’ the world go by.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Shadows Riders)
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.”
–John 14:27 (HCSB)
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“Peace like a river, so gently is flowing…” People are crying “We want peace!”. They live in constant fear. Fear of this, fear of that, fear of hats. Oh my mercy…fear, fear, fear. They look for someone who will pacify their lives, calm their souls. What they are looking for is an outward solution to an inward problem. They are looking for peace with external controls. Hmmm, there will come forward a man that promises peace; peace to the world; however, he is really the man of lawlessness and quite the opposite will occur.
Real peace is internal. It is provided despite the outward circumstances. This inner peace, provided by a real relationship with Jesus Christ, guards us while we live in a difficult and chaotic world. Look at the difference:
“The world gives to the body; Christ to the soul. The world gives to the outward and transient in man; Christ to the inward and eternal. The world only supplies music for the physical ear, and sceneries for the physical eye; Christ supplies music for the soul, and spiritual sceneries of unspeakable beauty to the eye of faith. The world supplies the lowest part of man–his passions and animal propensities; but Christ furnishes the highest part of him–his reason, faith, conscience–and satisfies his immortal aspirations and wants.” (B. Thomas)
Honestly, people in the world clamor for peace, yet they have no real idea what it is. If one group is satisfied, that satisfaction offends another group. In fact, the real trend of the world right now is to be offended by something. Then they will all cry, “Why can’t we all get together,” maybe they’ll smoke some pot and drink a Coca-Cola to the brotherhood of mankind, womankind, mixed gender kind, all kind, no kind — now I’m ocnfuesd…
People will never come from having possessions for they will bring with them a lack of peace. Peace will not come from a new job position, for that will bring heartburn and gas. Peace will not come from politicians and the bureaucrats; there will not be “peace in our lifetime.” If a person truly seeks peace they will find it only in Jesus Christ. They can search and search and at times think they have peace in their souls; they may have a mantra and sit in a silly position and hum it over and over and think they are at peace, but just as soon as they come out of their trance–wham, bam, turmoil–the peace is gone. “There is no peace in the world; there is no tribulation in Christ.” (B. Thomas)
Ponder and meditate on the following if you are struggling with peace. Paul had faced dire circumstances in his life. He said, “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed… Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9,16, NKJV). Notice, the “inward man.” He writes to the Colossians, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts (3:15, NKJV). Need peace? — turn to Jesus.