The Peace of God from the God Who is Peace

Peace: Google (which my kids now tell me knows everything) defines this word as “freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility.”  Maybe thinking of the ideal setting for this word transports your imagination to hearing waves on the beach, or to feeling the gentle swaying of the porch swing as you watch the sun set over the mountains.  Perhaps it’s just sitting in your recliner and listening to the silence that reminds you the kids are back in school!

We all love those times of serenity, but the peace offered by each of these examples is so easily shattered: the pain of your tan (otherwise known as a sunburn), the smell of the skunk who decided to take up residence under the porch, or the phone call informing you that you will probably be up all night because Johnny just got sick. 

But finding a way to escape reality is just one way of finding that illusive peace.  Possibly the more sought after kind of peace (and definitely the more valuable) is the peace that is found in the middle of your reality.  “Lord, please give me peace about __________!”  Can you hear yourself praying this prayer?  Maybe it was this morning, or maybe last week, but I imagine you can easily recall a time where you were anxiously seeking peace in a difficult situation.  In everything from decisions to be made to results just received, “Lord, please give me peace!” understandably becomes a very common prayer.

Thankfully, if you can say you have been praying that prayer, you have turned to the right place!  It is only in God that we have any hope of being given true peace, and I believe we can find the root of why this is true in 2 Thessalonians 3:16.  “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.” 

The heart of this reality is found in the phrase, “the Lord of peace.”  The reason that God can give us peace is because He is peace.  It is more than what He does, it is Who He is.  Along with the more easily thought of attributes of power, holiness, love, justice… must be accredited this perfect aspect of His nature: peace.  Consider this: He is never worried, He is never frustrated, He is never unsure.  Why is that?  He knows both the present and the future, He is all-powerful, He is perfectly wise.  He is peace and is at peace (God does what He is, and is what He does) because all things are under His sovereign authority.  This observation leads us to the realization that perfect peace can only come through perfect knowledge, power, and wisdom.  ‘Peace’ for any other reason can only be a form of escape from reality either through ignorance or resignation.

Now, in order for us to truly access this peace, we have to understand what it’s not.  You see, often when we pray for God’s peace, we are actually praying for solutions.  “Lord, please show me what the future is, and I will feel at peace… Lord, please assure me that I will overcome this, and I will feel at peace… Lord, please tell me what to do, and I will feel at peace…”  In some ways, we are essentially praying to be like God: to be perfect in knowledge, power, and wisdom. 

I believe Scripture is pretty clear that this is not what God has called us to.  He has not called His children to a life of sight, but a life of faith.  Perhaps you won’t know what the future is going to be … can you still have peace?  Perhaps you won’t be removed from this trial … can you still have peace?  Maybe you won’t know beyond a shadow of a doubt what is the right decision … can you still have peace? 

The Holy Spirit through Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3:16 gives us a resounding “YES” in answer to that question.  “Peace always by all means” is available for the children of God!

Do you remember how Paul wrote about peace in Philippians 4:11-13?  He admits that even in times of need, he was at peace.  That is much different than him saying, “Because everything was going my way, I had peace.”  Instead, it was “through Christ” that Paul received the strength to be at peace.  It is through the God of peace that I can be at peace.  The peace that God gives isn’t given because I know everything, but because God is all-knowing.  The peace that God gives isn’t given because I am suddenly powerful, but because God is all-powerful.  And the peace that God gives isn’t given because I am perfectly wise, but because my God is all-wise! 

​May the God of peace give you peace!