By Marilyn Pritchard
Are you looking for peace?
All I want is a little peace!
How many times have you said those words, or at least thought them, in the midst of a hectic day, being pulled in too many directions or interrupted for the umpteenth time?
You may have meant peace and quiet, the absence of noise; or freedom from conflict; or just a moment of serene tranquility. Those are all worthy aspirations, but they will also fade away pretty quickly.
When the birth of the Messiah was foretold in Scripture, He was called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and ironically, the peace He promised would be brought about by His death: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Is. 53:5).
The peace that Jesus offers is a perfect, lasting peace. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Is. 26:3). The night before He died, He promised His disciples, “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). He also said to them, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
In this world you will have trouble.
Jesus doesn’t promise to take away our problems, but He does promise us peace in the midst of them.
The Hebrew word used in the Bible for peace is shalom. The concepts behind its meaning are completeness, wholeness, a feeling of well-being and security. The related verb, shalem, means to restore or reconcile. In Christ, we are reconciled to God, our relationship with Him is restored (Rom. 5:10-11) and we are made whole.
So next time you feel like you’re in the middle of a whirlwind, surrounded by chaos, remember that true peace, shalom, is not a feeling but a state of being. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).
Like the eye of a hurricane, Jesus is our calm in the middle of life’s storms. If you’re looking for the peace of Christ in your life, take a look at some of these articles from Just Between Us (JBU). We pray you’ll be encouraged by what you read, and that you’ll find the true and lasting peace that only Christ can give.