Perfect Peace in a Frenzied World

Christ followers have access to something that is foreign to the rest of the world.  It is something for which people greatly yearn. It is something so remarkable that people without Christ in their life would consider it “not normal.” Yet it is something they would love to have.  It is a true and deep human need, however this something cannot be achieved by natural means, for it is supernatural.   That something is peace and specifically inner peace in a turbulent world.

The truth is that our world has not been a place of peace since Adam and Eve chose to rebel from God’s perfect love in the garden of Eden. We see a world almost frenzied in a desire for peace but with no enduring way to achieve it. 

Even within our immediate families and extended families and with friendships there is conflict, disagreement and division. 

Like a Christmas song says, “peace on earth, goodwill toward men, every year we sing it again, such beautiful words, they’ve got to be true, but down deep admit it, you’d like to know when?”

Yet, the Scriptures talk about a “Perfect Peace.”  Isaiah 26:3  Says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!”  So what is this inner peace the Scriptures talk about? 

 1.     First we have to recognize that peace comes at the point of surrender. In the spiritual realm, we end our private war with God.  

2. Secondly, to pursue God’s peace we “put on” behaviors and practice those things that help keep our minds on God.  The Scriptures teach us to “lay aside” things and “put on” things.  Kind of like changing clothes.  

3.  Third, we choose to carve out time for God. To keep our minds on God we choose to remind ourselves to think about Him.  He will help us on this, count on it.  He wants to spend time with us more than we can imagine.

4. Fourth, we pray prayers of victory focused on who God is, rather than our current circumstances.  Perspective is everything.

5.  Fifth, we grow in our trust of God.  A growing trust in God allows us to experience His perfect peace, in fact I would say that the amount of peace we have in a situation has a direct correlation to the amount of trust we place in God as we go through that ordeal.  Trust is not an automatic response.  It’s an act of the will, and it is a process.  We learn to trust. 

Inner peace in a frenzied world - what an incredible gift!