JESUS GIVES US PEACE

(John 14:27) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

In the early days of walking with the Lord, I believed what Jesus was saying in this scripture, but I didn’t understand how to walk in his peace.  As time went on, and I had to deal with troubles and fear, I discovered that Jesus was always there with me.  I began to trust him with the challenges of life.  I began to experience his peace, and with his help, I was able to put aside fear.

Recently, I had to deal with cancer.  After two months of chemotherapy the cancer is basically gone, but I am now receiving radiation therapy to prevent the cancer from returning.  The cancer was in my head and neck, so the radiation is centered there.  To keep my head still during treatment the technicians make a mask out of a mesh material which is placed over my face and neck and fastened to the table. It is unsettling to have your head fastened tightly to a table.  Fortunately, the sessions only last about fifteen minutes.  

While facing the idea of this preparation, Jesus spoke to me that he would be right there laying beside me.  These words are with me each time they fasten me down for a session.  I am able to put aside the panic that fear might bring, and experience peace because he is with me.

The words, in John 14:7, that Jesus spoke to his disciples two thousand years ago are as alive today as they were then.  He is always with us, granting his supernatural and eternal peace.

(Philippians 4:7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

THE PRICE OF PEACE

(John 14:27) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

(Philippians 4:6&7) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace comes with a price.  The first thing we will need to give up is pride.  The pride of self-reliance does not produce peace.  It produces stress. When difficulties come, there is no one to help, and we realize we are on our own.  Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  To find peace, we must give up our pride and admit we need Jesus.

Secondly, we must forgive.  Holding on to our right to be offended means we are the ones suffering.  Unforgiveness feeds on its self and weighs us down.  Letting go and forgiving sets us free and allows us be at peace.

Jesus holds the key to peace, and his word tells us how to find it.  Here are a few example

Do not worry; trust God for everything you need and in every situation.

            Forgive as you have been forgiven.

            Do not judge each other, but love one another.

            Love your enemies, and pray for them.

            Don’t concern yourself with treasures on earth.

            You should humble yourself and Pray.

The peace Jesus gives us does not rely on our circumstances.  His peace is founded in our reliance on him, no matter what our circumstances might be.  I guess we can conclude that when we have totally given ourselves to him, we’ll be able to continually experience the peace he gives us. 

I’m still working on completely giving myself to Jesus, but I am often able to find his peace.  How are you doing?