Peace

Peace is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Peace is a Christian value that comes from being close to God. When the Holy Spirit dwells in a person’s heart, it gives peace to this heart. The Holy Bible teaches “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4 : 6-7). The Lord Jesus Christ gives us this gift of peace for He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid ” (John 14:27).

Christians believe that out of His great love for us, God gives us peace. He does this so that we can be untroubled, undisturbed and free of worry as we live our lives where we often find difficulty and hardship. To have this peace one needs to have faith in God’s protection and care and to believe in God’s promises.

David, the prophet and writer of psalms in the Bible declares this belief confidently, saying of God, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) His source of peace is knowing that God is with him despite having faced much peril and hardship in his life. It is a good example for Christians to follow – to be steadfast in faith, to be calm and to be filled with peace – like a house with deep foundations on rock and which can withstand the storm (see Matthew 7 : 24 and Luke 6: 48). The words of Jesus Christ lead Christians to live in peace so they don’t get disturbed but have peace within themselves, with people and with God. And a person who is full of peace can flow over to others, and be a source of comfort. It is required that one reads the word of God in the Bible and put them into practice.

The Bible teaches “let the peace of God rule in your hearts, …and be thankful” (Colossians 3: 15). To have peace, it is important to be thankful and to appreciate what God has given us. The opposite causes us to lose our peace – when we are not grateful for what we have, when we want what others have, or we want to impose our will on others or to control events around us. We have to know that not all what we want must be fulfilled and may be it is for our own good that it is not. We should flee from negative emotions such as greed, envy, anger and hate because these cause inner turmoil and can lead to further wrongdoing.

The Bible tells us that sin and wrongdoing will make us lose our peace: “‘There is no peace,’ says the Lord, ‘for the wicked.'” (Isaiah 48:22). Sin and wrongdoing can also affect the peace of those around us for the Bible says “the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt” (Isaiah 48:22). A person will lose his or her peace through sin because sin distances us from God who is the source of peace. However, the person that regrets wrongdoing and yearns to be again in the peace and love of God’s embrace will always be able to return and be accepted by God. This is repentance and the Bible tells us “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1 : 9).

There are times we face a problem and long for a solution that can’t be found. We focus on the sharpness, depth and pain of the problem. We worry and may become afraid, and so we lose our peace. Yet we can solve our problems with our faith, our minds and our hearts, but not with fear or worry. We may wish to reach a quick solution but there are matters that need patience, long suffering and a period of time to be solved without any worry. As Christians we should have peace believing in God’s word “that all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8 : 28).

The Bible teaches also “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. (Luke 6:37). If we disobey this commandment of God we can lose our peace. As Christians, we are required to focus on improving ourselves before focusing on the faults of others. It is better for us and for them, in order to keep our peace and theirs, to avoid interfering in other people’s affairs and not to make ourselves observers of their deeds. Importantly, our Lord Jesus Christ tells us “Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). Of course it can be disturbing and sometimes very painful if we are wronged or treated unjustly. This can cause us to lose our peace and be angry. Yet with some endurance, one can tolerate injustice without losing his or her peace. If Jesus Christ tells us to forgive, then as Christians, we believe that we will have peace in doing so. One can also be encouraged by God’s word that He “executes justice for the oppressed.” (Psalm 146:7). On the other hand, we should examine ourselves; may be we
are wrong and there has been no injustice to make us lose our peace. Let us be strong in faith and in endurance.

The Holy Bible teaches that “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). Therefore, Christians should not become agitated by any word or action. Rather we should handle problems quietly and, with a gentle answer, turn away anger and hold onto peace. Quietness is a part of peace and God loves these values in people for the Bible says, “a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” (1 Peter 3:4). The Bible also advises us “that you also aspire to lead a quiet life” (1 Thessalonians 4:11). One of the most beautiful sayings of the Bible about the value of quietness is, “For thus says the Lord God. In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” (Is. 30:15). In this Bible verse, God tells us how to face anger, fear, doubt, jealousy as well as other negative emotions and circumstances that lead to conflict. Christians believe in God’s promise of peace and it is available to all who put their trust in Him. The result is peace of heart and the beauty of a calm spirit.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:7-9)