Peace On Earth

Have you ever pondered why we don’t have peace on Earth? I mean, Jesus tells us that his kingdom is now, and the Bible helps us to understand that one of the fruits of living in the kingdom is peace. So where is it?

For my perception, we live in a world that suggests that our ability to feel peace requires the proper circumstances. However, I’m here to tell you that peace, to some degree, is a choice, and regardless of our circumstances, we can choose to live a more peaceful existence. Of course, I fully recognize that the perfection of the kingdom of God comes in the next life, but we can obtain a great amount of peace while we wait.

How do we achieve a greater degree of peace in our lives? Let’s start with the small stuff. Sometimes we lose our peace because we don’t like what’s happening around us. For instance, we can lose our peace when someone cut us off in traffic. If we quickly forgive that person and ask the Holy Spirit to help us re-establish our peace, we will be successful.

Of course, there are larger things that can destroy our peace, and these things are not as easy to overcome. Let us take financial difficulties as an example. It is easy to feel anxious when we do not feel like our financial needs are being met. I think this is especially true when others are depending on us. However, when we focus on the fact that God is in charge, and he uses all things to our good, we can find greater peace in our circumstances. His ways are beyond us, but when we learn to trust in him in all things, we will find ourselves living with a greater degree of peace.

This is not always as easy as I make it sound, so I’ll share with you one of my secrets. When I feel anxiety, I often find myself meditating on the phrase, “my Jesus, I trust in you.” I say this over and over again, and allow myself to believe in him.  Having said this, I will tell you that the most sure way of attaining peace in the most dire of circumstances is to ask the Holy Spirit to help you find peace in your circumstances. Keep turning back to him, and you will find your way.

Spend some time with the Holy Spirit seeking where you find anxiety or frustration in your life. Ask him to help you see where you can live a more peaceful life. Ask him to reveal to you ways that will help you attain a greater level of peace in your life, and then work towards building habits that help you move quickly from frustration and/or anxiety to peace.

In Him,

dw