Peace
Peace is a free gift from God (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Galatians 6:16; Hebrews 13:20). A person receives God’s gift when he first seeks forgiveness for his past sins. By faith he receives the assurance that his guilt has been wiped away. The Bible teaches, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). When the believer is counted righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21), he can have that most comforting peace with God (Romans 4:5; 5:1; 1 John 4:10).
But how can he maintain this peace? The believer needs to read God’s Word daily, pray, and walk in His godly path. This connection renews his harmony with God. “May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord” (1 Peter 1:2). And this harmony will continue on flowing as he submits to God’s will every day (Ephesians 3:18–19; Romans 8:38–39).
Thus, peace and faith go hand in hand. In order to have tranquility, a person needs to walk by faith not sight. He needs to rest in the assurance that God is his refuge in times of trial (Psalm 46:1; 62:8). Even though he may walk through the valley of death at times (Psalm 23), the Lord is his refuge and will ultimately work all things for his good (Romans 8:28). God is love (1 John 4:8) and the believer can lean always to find a refuge there for the Lord never changes (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6).
The Lord promised the believer will have His peace when he chooses to abide in Him: “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:1). The closer a person draws to God, the more of His peace he can enjoy (James 4:8).
Worry is the opposite of peace. For this reason the Lord invites His children to cast their cares upon Him and depend on Him (1 Peter 5:7). When the believer learns to trust the Lord in the troublesome times and lean not on his own strength or wisdom, then he will experience God’s peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
It may not be possible for the believer always to be in concord with all people (Hebrews 12:14), but failure to have that need not interfere with his state of serenity with the Lord. Such calmness is built on faith in God and a personal knowledge of His strength and care. It comes from a sense of His abiding presence, and produces childlike trust (John 14:27; Romans 1:7; 5:1; Colossians 3:15).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
