Motivational Monday #4: Peace

Peace, to me, is knowing that the Lord of the universe is by my side allowing me to rest.  I have assurance in an out of control, scary world, that God is in control. In Isaiah 9:6, a famous verse around Christmas time, calls Jesus the Prince of Peace. So the Prince of Peace probably knows what peace is. 

What does Jesus say peace is?

“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

So Jesus tells us he is giving us peace and to not be troubled or afraid. So peace is the opposite of troubled or afraid- peace is feeling settled and confident. That sounds pretty good- settled and confident. Jesus also says He does not give as the world gives. Therefore, peace can not be found in worldly things. Money, health, alcohol, sex, relationships, food, drugs, etc. can not provide us with peace. Peace is a gift from the Lord.

How do we find peace and keep it?

John 14:27 tells us peace is a gift, so can we find it? And if it was a gift, why do I continually feel afraid and troubled? After thinking about those questions, I had to rethink the word gift. This isn’t a gift like a pair of shoes. Once you open and try on your shoes, they are yours. Forever yours. The gift of peace is not that kind of gift. It is more like the gift of knowledge. You just don’t open a box of knowledge, try the knowledge on, and then it is yours forever. You have to chase and pursue knowledge, build up your knowledge. 

Peace is that kind of gift. Jesus is the way to peace. The bible tells us to seek and pursue peace multiple times!

“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14

“They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.” 1 Peter 3:11

SEEK= FIND, We must seek or find peace before we can pursue it. Jesus is PEACE. So- go find Jesus. Seek his wisdom, love, and comfort. Once you have found him- continue to pursue Him. Don’t stop learning more about Him and His promises. It is in the pursuit that peace is within you. True peace, lasting peace. A peace that transcends understanding. 

I think many of us have SEEKED peace, we found Jesus. We believe in all of His promises and His death and resurrection. But I think it is the pursuit that we often forget to do. We must chase after our savior. We must bring him our burdens, give him our fears, cast our anxieties at His feet, serve others selflessly, love our neighbors, read and study our bibles, and share our faith to the next generation. This pursuit is a lifelong journey- and how we KEEP the gift of peace.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

Next Steps

1. Study what scripture says about peace. Verses I found about peace are listed below, maybe start there.

John 16:33 

Isaiah 26:3

Romans 8:6

Psalm 34:14

1 Peter 3:9-11

Romans 12:21

Isaiah 9:6

Matthew 11:28-30

Psalm 29:11

John 14:27

2. Plan out how you are going to PURSUE Jesus this week.

Examples: Start a bible study- check out the YouVersion Bible App for tons of studies you can do from your phone.

3. Seek and Pursue Peace in three areas of your life.

Work: Find a way to bring peace to a work situation; hold your tongue while speaking with others, giving co-workers credit for a great idea, etc.

Soul: Give thanks to God for your blessings, big or small. Say “thank you, Lord” throughout your day; for a healthy body, a beautiful sunrise, a summer rain, etc.

Relationships: Bring peace to your loved ones, be honest and graceful with your words, give praises and words of affection.

My Prayer for You

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the gift of peace. Thank you for being the ultimate example of perfect peace, Jesus. Please help us find Jesus, study His life and His promises. Open and shut doors that lead us to Him, help us pursue His gift of peace. Lord, life can get stressful and overwhelming, you never promised us an easy life. You do ask us to bring our burdens to you and you will make our load light. No worry or fear is too small or big for you. Keep us in Your will, remind us how loved we are by You. Amen.