But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 

What do you imagine when you hear the word peace? Maybe for you it would be going to a spa and getting a massage. Or maybe it’s working in your garden, or making sourdough bread, or watching a movie. Maybe it’s even spending time with family or friends. Or maybe taking a break from social media is the most peaceful thing you can do. When I think about peace, I usually imagine being in a quiet environment, maybe reading a book or listening to an audiobook or podcast while I crochet or craft. And that is how the world defines peace: freedom from disturbance, tranquility. That sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? However, according to those standards, and in this busy world, we probably do not get as many peaceful days as we would like. 

The Bible talks a lot about peace in a counter-cultural way. It does that by talking about peace in a similar way as it talks about joy, that we are to have peace in the Lord and in the knowledge that He is in control. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.” When we are bringing everything to God in prayer, and we truly let Him take our anxiety and worries, He will give us peace that we are unable to understand or explain. And the thing about that kind of peace is that other people notice it too; it is deep in our hearts and no matter what is going on, our circumstances and surroundings do not have any impact on that peace. Worldly peace is so fleeting and even when we are participating in our “peaceful” activities, our brains can so often be thinking about a million other things at the same time, potentially causing us internal stress because we think we are wasting time that we should be using to do something productive. That does not seem very peaceful to me! 

Going back to one of my dad’s favorite songs from last week, another verse of the song says, “I’ve got the peace that passes understanding way down in the depths of my heart! Where? Way down in the depths of my heart! Where? Way down in the depths of my heart! I’ve got the peace that passes understanding way down in the depths of my heart! Where? Way down in the depths of my heart to stay!” This is what I will often pray for family and friends when they are going through tough times, whether they have lost a loved one, are going though a breakup, are trying to make a big life decision, or whatever else may be causing them stress or anxiety. I pray that God would give them His peace that passes understanding and remind them that He is in control and knows what they are going through and He is with them. 

It is definitely easier said than done to not be anxious and give all your worries and anxiety to God, but most things He calls us Christians to do are not easy and can only be done with His help. It can be so much “easier” in a way to keep a tight hold of our stress and worries and have the false idea that if we work hard enough, we can be in control and make everything work out just how we want it to be. That is what the world tells us, that if you work hard enough, you will get what you want. Although giving God control does not mean that we will always get what we want, it does mean that we will be much more content and peaceful no matter what happens. God’s plans for our lives are so much better than our own plans, and when we try to keep hold of our plans, that leaves a lot of opportunity for stress and frustration whenever God’s plans differ from ours. When we completely put our trust in God and give Him all our anxiety, He will give us His peace that we are unable to understand. When we have that peace, nothing that happens in our lives will be able to take it away.  

So which kind of peace would you rather have? The worldly version of peace that depends on you and your surroundings? Or God’s version of peace that lasts through any situation you will face in life? Personally, I would rather have the peace that passes understanding. I definitely still like having a quiet day of reading or crafting whenever I get the chance, but I know that is not the only source of peace for those who put their trust in Christ. 

Abbi