Godly Peace

Godly Peace

Phl 4:6-7 NIV - [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Jhn 14:26-27 NIV - [26] But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. [27] 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.

The New Testament is filled with encouragement to Christians to be filled with peace. This is fortunate, for our world today is filled with anything but peace. For thousands of years man has struggled in darkness: war, disease, famine, and death. It seems he has spent more time running than creating. But Christ offers us an alternative. Rather than fearing the things of this world, He grants us peace. In John, Jesus tells His disciples that He is leaving peace with them, not “as the world gives.” The disciples are instructed to “not let [their] hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Peace, then, is an instruction originating directly from God. It is a promise to those who believe in Him. Peace is the IV fluid of the spiritual life—it nourishes and heals in the midst of a dying world.

Beloved, if Jesus thought it so important to mention peace, we ought to find it important to realize it. Many people believe peace is a passive process. They believe it comes to them without any effort on their part. Secondly, they believe peace magically heals wars, broken families, and poverty. But peace is merely the nourishment Man needs in order to carry these actions out. Godly peace must be recognized and grabbed hold of, like a child to his blanket. We have a choice to allow the peace of God to fill us, or to allow doubt and anxiousness fill us. Paul notes this in Philippians 4. He says that we ought not ‘be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present [our] requests to God.” Man must willfully put away his anxiousness in exchange for prayer and thanksgiving. What is the result? The “peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus.”
When God’s peace fills us, people see it. Godly peace will spur us on to great ministries. People will feel more open to talk to us about their problems. The tension present in so many relationships will slowly fade. This sort of peace heals not only ourselves, but others. We must be careful to define it, however. Jesus is very clear that He does not give us peace “as the world gives.” You see, the world defines peace as the safety of a large brick home, a colossal SUV, a strong husband, a financially secure job. Notice Jesus never promises anything of this sort. He never even promises to provide us with jobs or money, in spite of what the modern prosperity gospel proposes. Instead, He promises just what we need. He meets our needs sufficiently but fills our souls abundantly. It is His grace and love that pours out of us, not security.

Allow God’s peace to meet you today. When you are filled with worries and doubts, just remember that Christ is there with you. Millions of people have probably been through whatever it is you are going through. God has not failed any who follow Him. However long this earth has been here, God has yet to withdraw His hand from us. The world still turns every day. He still loves us every day. His peace goes with us every day. Amen.

With love in Christ,



Austin Aldrich