THE PEACE OF GOD

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds—Philippians 4:7

The presence of God can have some strange effects on us. He comes in so many different ways. Sometimes, there is an uncanny awareness of peace when He comes. Not just the peace that comes from knowing everything is going to be okay, not even the awesome peace from being right with God. I’m talking about a different kind of peace, the peace ‘of’ God, the peace that God Himself enjoys. Jesus prayed for us that we would enjoy the relationship with the Father that He has enjoyed for eternity. Think about it, the nature of that relationship is entirely spiritual. We can enter into this life, the very life of God, as we draw near by the blood of Jesus. God’s peace, the peace that He enjoys, comes to us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Here is a quote from A. B. Simpson about God’s peace.

“It is not peace with God, but the peace of God that [keeps our] hearts and minds. The peace which passeth all understanding is the very breath of God in the soul. He alone is able to keep it, and He can so keep it that “nothing shall offend us.” Is this your experience?

God’s rest did not come until His work was finished. Nor will ours. We begin our Christian lives by working, trying and struggling in the energy of the flesh to save ourselves. At last, when we are able to cease from our own work, God comes in with His blessed rest and works His own divine will in us.”

Has your day to day grind or maybe an unusual situation in your life taken away any sense of peace in your life? Stress and anxiety can lead to all sorts of other problems. Your solution is not a vacation (that often leads to more stress), not a toddy, or not even a shopping spree. There is a place of rest that remains for the people of God. As David said, “Today, if you hear His voice, don’t harden your heart”. Open your heart. It often begins with a scripture, one stands out to you, God is speaking. Then it moves into pondering the verse. Finally, it spills over into thanksgiving and worship. That is the place where peace moves in. You step into God’s arena, you begin to experience His peace. So today could be a really great day. Your circumstances may or may not change, but God’s peace is calling you in.