“Jesus said to his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27
There are two types of peace we can enjoy. First, there is worldly peace. This peace is the absence of conflict, war, or external turmoil. This form of peace aligns with human reason and is based in the natural law, which is written on the consciences of every person.
Though that form of natural peace and justice is good, it is not the highest form of peace we are called to enjoy.
The peace that our Lord came to bestow is supernatural, enabling us not only to survive, but to thrive on a moral and spiritual level, even in the absence of worldly peace. Jesus’ spiritual gift of peace enables us to find fulfillment in the midst of every external difficulty.
The Peace of God, that which Jesus offers and gives to us is transcendent of the worldly storms. This peace isn’t shaken by the world – no diagnosis, trouble or trial can make it waiver or lessen its impact.
This peace of the Lord comes from one of two prayers or both offered by the soul – “Jesus, I trust in You” and “Thy Will be done”. One and both can lift the soul above the storm into true joyful peace, resting in the arms of the Father.
I’ve talked about this several times over the past years and in my blog posts. It is really important to understand.
“While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” – Luke 24:36
Remember, Jesus is a Hebrew-speaking. Jewish Rabbi. He speaks to Jewish disciples in Jerusalem. He probably would have smiled at his stunned friends and said in Hebrew, “shalom lehkhem” (Peace to you).
“Shalom” means peace, “Shalom Shalom” means perfect peace.
As I struggled with my daughter’s illness those several months, my prayer was for worldly peace in my heart – her healing I thought would give that. But, God wanted me to strive for more. He wanted “shalom shalom’ kind of peace. And that could only come through surrender. By drawing near to Jesus and relying on His Power and Presence.
“A gale swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’” – Luke 8:23-25
This peace is so important that it is captured in each of the Gospels – Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:36-41, Luke 8:22-25.
Jesus looks at the storm and commands, “shalom!” And there was calm.
Just having Jesus “in the boat” during the storm brings peace. “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down” – Matthew 14:32.
Trust in Jesus. He is God and loves you so much – more than our human minds and hearts can comprehend. If the Father loves the soul this much, what is there to fear?
“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” – Exodus 14:14
“I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” – Philippians 3:12-13
When you can truly say and live these two prayers with all your heart (“Jesus, I trust in You” and “Thy Will be done”) true Shalom Shalom peace will rest in your heart.
Let go of your desire for worldly peace and perfection, strive only the peace of God. Even if this peace comes through the cross.