True Peace

What does it mean to truly have peace? I think most of us grow up with the thought that having peace or being peaceful is being calm and not being stressed out. However, peace is a Person. Peace is Jesus. And what He has so gently been teaching me recently is that the only way to have true, lasting peace is to look to HIM, to set my face upon Him and refuse to look away.

Yesterday was quite the busy and potentially stressful day for me. I had an Old Testament exam that I forgot to study for, I had a study group scheduled with some girls from my history class, I had my history class, I had a few hours in the afternoon to get done the mountain of homework that I have to do this weekend, and then I had my Environment class for 2.5 hours last night. Toward the middle of my day, I found myself worrying and being anxious over whether or not I would be able to get all my homework done. You see, I had a plan. I would spend all of Saturday and some of Sunday if I needed to, to get all of it done so I wouldn’t have to worry about it when I fly out to Colorado next weekend. However, my mom surprised me by texting me and telling me that she was driving down this weekend to visit. So, my nicely, scheduled plan went out the window. And there it was. The bait to stress, worry, be anxious, and take my eyes off of Jesus. And for a while, I gave in. I wondered and fretted about whether I would have time to get everything done that needed to get done. But, right in the midst of this, I got a beautiful text from my friend, Melanie. It is a quote from Oswald Chambers:

There are times when our peace is based upon ignorance, but when we awaken to the facts of life, inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He makes peace…it is a peace which comes from looking into His face and realizing His undisturbedness. Are you painfully disturbed just now, distracted by the waves and billows of God’s providential permission, and having, as it were, turned over the boulders of your belief, are you still finding no well of peace or joy or comfort; is it all barren? Then look up and receive the undisturbedness of the Lord Jesus. Reflected peace is the proof that you are right with God because you are at liberty to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. But if you try to worry it out, you obliterate Him and deserve all you get. We get disturbed because we have not been considering Him. When one confers with Jesus Christ the perplexity goes, because He has no perplexity, and our only concern is to abide in Him. Lay it all out before Him, and in the face of difficulty, bereavement and sorrow, hear Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled.”’

I read this quote, was convicted, and had a startling realization. I did not have peace at that moment because I was focused on myself. You see, if I had been focused on Jesus, I would have been focused upon Peace, for He is Peace. I would not have been disturbed, because He cannot be undisturbed. Instead, I had turned my focus and my gaze to focus on my needs, my pressing concerns, my overload of homework, my concerns. All the while, Jesus had promised to take care of my needs, if I had simply given them to Him.

Philippians 4: 6-7 says, "Be careful for nothing (in other words: take no thought or care for yourself, but rather spend yourself on Jesus); but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep ( guard, set a garrison about) your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.”

What if, instead of fretting and getting anxious, I had turned to my Source of Peace? What if, I had poured out my worries and concerns to my Bridegroom, trusting Him to take care of all of them for me? I would have received (and did, after I repented and gave them to Him) the peace that passes all understanding. In verse 11, Paul talks about how he has learned to be content in whatever circumstance he is in. Our contentment does not depend on outward circumstances but rather upon the Source of Peace Himself. 

So, friend, look to Jesus today and receive peace that passes all understanding. And once you do, He will infuse strength into your soul to do all that He has called you to (verse 13).