John 14:27 (TPT) says, “I leave the gift of peace with you- my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts- instead, be courageous.”
What is peace? Sometimes, I think that we think it is a calm, ocean setting without any disturbances. But the problem with that is that if that is our only view, then we will be waiting for peace for a long time, or at least, until our next vacation. But this verse isn’t encouraging us to go on vacation. No, instead, it’s a great reminder that peace doesn’t just come to us. It is something we can experience daily, not just once a year, and choosing peace requires courage.
In John 14 in particular, it means, “The tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.” Peace in this context is an assurance from Christ, not something we can self-produce. It is a gift, and it is a state of the soul. In other words, peace isn’t just one small aspect of our being or condition. It is tied to the entire well-being or the wholeness of our souls. Peace is directly linked to the wellness of my soul in the expression, “It is well with my soul.”
In Kim Walker Smith’s new song, “Not Afraid,” she recants Isaiah 43 saying: “When I walk through the waters, I won’t be overcome. When I go through the rivers, I will not be drowned. My God will make a way, so I’m not afraid.”
But in order for us to choose peace daily, we need to know a couple of things. Peace doesn’t happen automatically, and peace is a part of our daily wardrobe.
1.Peace doesn’t happen automatically
I think for most of my life, I’ve lived thinking peace will come to me. I think if I am at a certain age or stage, it will come to me. Or, I believe that with the certain prime conditions, peace will come and so I just have to work really hard at creating peace. But in both John 14 and Isaiah 43, it requires quite the contrary. It requires boldness to encounter peace, courage to receive peace. Choosing peace with courage like Mary, Esther, Rahab, and Deborah. As much as we think about peace being calm and tranquil, what if we were to think of peace as an actionable item on our agenda? What if it is something we must reclaim and choose on a daily basis?
2. Choosing peace is a part of our wardrobe
I love all seasons, but I especially love being able to drink a pumpkin spice latte with a jacket and boots on. In Ephesians 6, it talks about a spiritual wardrobe that we need to put on in order to stand firm against the enemy’s schemes. But, there is a part that I have never caught before in Ephesians. In verses 19-20 it reads, “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Pray that I may declare it fearlessly. That we would recognize peace isn’t the opposite of chaos. Peace isn’t bound by certain seasons or times in our life. Peace is a choice that we can make every single day just as we are putting on a jacket on our way out the door.
Just like peace is a jacket we wear, you don’t expect to stay warm if you go out in the winter without a layer of warmth. In the same way, if we don’t choose peace, it won’t naturally come to us. It’s easy to choose peace when things are convenient. We choose it when things are smooth, and we aren’t stressed. But, choosing peace is taking back the ground of chaos and saying despite the season I am in, despite what happened in my day, I’m wearing the jacket of peace.
You are given the peace. You don’t need to earn it. Your peace is in Christ. So, today, start taking back the peace that God has given you! Put on your jacket of peace. Lace up those warrior boots with courage. Press forward and know that peace is a daily act of courage and not just something you experience on vacation.
