In our secular, yet super-spiritualized society, we hear words bantered about that seem to fit our Christian worldview. Sometimes we even adopt what the world offers because we haven’t really understood what it is that God offers.
One of those things is peace.
In the last few months I’ve noticed people walking away from their commitments, or decisions, or even things they once said God called them to, simply because they “didn’t have peace about it.” But what kind of peace were they looking for? In many instances it seems the peace they want is simply less responsibility and trouble.
We’ve made peace cheap. Peace isn’t the absence of stress. Neither is it freedom from struggle.
But that’s the lie we’ve bought and sold.
Peace is the confident realization that God is in control and taking complete care of you and your situation. Peace is evidence of being solidly in the will of God, even if the situation might otherwise warrant worry or fear.
It is possible to have peace when you receive the news of a loved one’s death, or when your husband loses his job, or in the middle of a divorce hearing. It is possible to have peace when your world is turned upside down and nothing is like you dreamed, planned or prayed for.
When we pray for God’s will and we sense He is asking us to do the hard thing, the most difficult thing, the one that will cost us the most in every way – we can still have peace. That peace is rooted in who God is, and is powered by His Spirit. It flows from His sovereignty, provision and care.
Sometimes, though, we miss God’s best for us because we call lack of struggle peace. We call calmness peace. When we really don’t want to do something, and we say no, or we quit and then feel good because we don’t have to do it… that’s not necessarily peace. It’s relief.
And so we sacrifice true peace for something cheap. We miss the adventure God offers because we crave easy. We want comfortable and convenient instead of that genuine treasure – God’s peace.
The “peace that passes all understanding” is exactly what it is. It is peace that makes no sense. Peace when there shouldn’t be any. Peace, that calm assurance that everything is okay because God is still on His throne, is not achieved by reducing stress or going on vacation.
We know that peace when we humbly submit to the will of God in our lives. It’s when we put our hope and trust, our confidence and future, solidly in His hands, trusting that He will be the One to handle it all.
Don’t believe in the Myth of Peace. Go for the genuine article – the Peace that Passes All Understanding!
Carla Anne Coroy is a speaker, blogger and author of Married Mom, Solo Parent
. She’s been married nearly 20 years and is living in Canada with her husband and four homeschooled teens. You can find her at www.carlaanne.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorcarlaanne.
April’s Rooted in Christ theme is Peace
Reading God’s Story Schedule today, 4/03/13: I Samuel 9-12.
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About Carla Anne Coroy
Carla Anne can be described in one word: passionate. After just a few minutes with her it is evident that her biggest passion is people. Carla Anne is an accomplished Christian author, speaker and business woman. Her favourite way to spend her free time is hanging out with her 8 kids (an even mix of sons, daughters, and in-laws) and many family “add-ons”. In winter you can find her cheering for her local hockey team and in summer she’ll be on the beach!
