A Piece of Peace
Who hasn’t said or thought some variation of these: “Can I get a moment’s peace??” or “I need some peace and quiet!”? The problem with our world’s view of peace this that we often blame our lack of it on everything around us. In fact, we are all really good at finding scapegoats: kids, jobs, friends, family members, current events, other drivers on the road, etc. All these things stand in the way of our peaceful existence. But, in reality, peace is a fruit of the Spirit. He bears peace in us and we are in charge of living our lives in that state of peace. If we want peace, we must intentionally choose it over every other state of being.
Like a lot of things, peace can be tough to come by. Stress, anxiety, conflict, and other negative experiences are the result of living in a fallen world. (Thanks a ton, Adam!) But, I promise, God is not sitting up there with a chess board, formulating His next maneuver to make your life more difficult. In all of His omniscience and omnipotence, all He asks is that we turn to Him for peace. Scripture tells us over and over again to head in His direction when we are facing conflict. External or internal, He wants us to turn it all over to Him. Psalm 55:22 tells us, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” (ESV). Peter even reminds us of this in 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (ESV). We need these constant reminders in our prideful attempt to control the world around us. We are not in control. He is. No matter what this fallen world drops into our laps, our ability to find peace lies within our own decision to submit. And no level of chaos is too much for Him.
A small challenge for you: I would like you to take a moment to examine the people around you and the role humans play in your quest to find peace. We’ve all heard the adage, “You are the company you keep.” In this season of change, it’s been all too easy to lose touch with people and, in some situations, it’s been tougher than ever to maintain those Godly, spiritual connections that feed our souls. Do not let Satan drive a deeper wedge between you and your Lord. Reading scripture and prayer are helpful tools, but we often underestimate the role that the body of Christ plays in our faith. We are called to gather: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Heb 10:24-25 ESV). As Christians, we gain spiritual peace (and so much more!) from being in close, physical proximity. Gathering for most of us translates to a Sunday church service, but it can be so many more things. Small groups, lunches, and even kids’ play dates with our sisters in Christ, where we are sharing and encouraging each other, can all help revive our peace in ways that worldly pedicures and naps cannot. Don’t get me wrong…I love a good pedicure…and a good nap! But the intentional communion with God is the only way to achieve true peace…and gathering is a key part of this. It is the way God designed us. We “sharpen” each other (Pro 27:17). We should be constantly working to remove those worldly hurdles that are standing in the way of eternal work. God has blessed every one of us with brothers and sisters who strengthen us in Christ. But, we need to stop waiting for peace to come to us. It’s our job to get ourselves there–physically, emotionally, and spiritually–and reap the benefits. The fruits, if you will.
We often associate the idea of finding peace with inaction. We think of it as a period of doing as little as possible. But true peace requires intentional action from us to engage with the Lord. Jesus is standing right in front of us, hand outstretched, offering us the peace we need. But, it’s on us to reach out.
Catherine (Cat) Garner was born in Long Beach, California and moved to Nevada when she was 10. She grew up in the Las Vegas community, then earned her BA in English and Political Science from the University of Nevada, Reno and her teaching credential from UNLV. She is a National Board Certified Teacher who has taught, coached, mentored, #allthethings in public schools for over a decade. She also walks in a variety of school-related roles outside the classroom such as writing curriculum and teaching professional development classes. Her husband, Ryan, is a CPA and they have one son, Jack, and a fur-daughter, Emma. She loves worship music, shoes, a good book, Precepts Bible studies, soccer, making silly TikToks, Sally Clarkson, house plants, and yoga.