"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27 (NKJV)
Peace in this world with all of it's unrest, moral decay, and chaos may seem like a distant dream or something too far to reach for some people. But for the studied disciple of Christ, earnest, honest, and truly submitting to God in their relationship with Him, it's a reality well within his or her grasp. It's in part a matter of gaining our God's perspective through our study of scripture - seeking out the truth, and keeping it before us - no matter what circumstances may present in front of us. As much as it might sound like an oft repeated religious cliché, our God IS absolutely bigger than our circumstances.
An engaged follower of Christ comes to recognize that life in this world is not what God created the spirits of mankind for. This world is a temporary, passing-through place where God intends to sort out the sheep from the goats - those who choose to believe God in all things, and respond accordingly, ... and those who don't. That's what this "one life to live" world as some seem to think of it, is intended for. It's never been where Father God intends to live with His sheep for eternity. And while we're on the subject, I recognize that some may revile the thought of being called a sheep, ... but the Lamb of God, for our sakes, didn't seem to have a problem with it. Our own selflessness, humbleness and gentleness, if it exists within us (as it should as His disciples), may well reflect the spirit of Christ in us. Any lack of it may be something we should examine.
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)(emphasis and underline are mine)
Claiming that peace that Jesus spoke of comes much easier when holding our Heavenly Father's perspective. Recognizing that this place is contaminated by the cancerous and corrosive disease of sin, we know that it's very likely that we'll be forced to endure and deal with some of its carnage and effects along the way. At the same time though, by what God's told us, we know without question that our stay here is temporary - very temporary in the perspective of eternity and that we're never alone.
We also know from scripture that physical death - even our own, is absolutely not the end, or our end, and it's not the worst that can happen to us. The worst that could happen to us is eternal death and permanent separation from God, which in proper perspective means that if it were required of us, our physical death here would be a very small price to pay to enter the real life and reality that will come to us next. This flesh that we wear temporarily has no value against the eternal body we will be raised up in and it's important to keep in mind that this physical life here isn't the life that we were created by God with intention for. It's just our temporary opportunity to come to know God, ourselves and the truth and to reveal to God whether we be sheep or goats - in submission to Him, or continuing in rebellion. It's not about all of the other garbage that mankind has attempted to make it about in the world's failed, vain, perspective and all of the incredible stress, contention, and sometimes even murderous strife that comes with the world's outlook and values. None of that makes for a truly peaceful existence, so who in their right mind needs it? Certainly not those living disciples of Christ truly believing God who are separating themselves from the world's rebellious deceptions.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." Philippians 4:6-8 (NKJV)
Sorting between what God has ordained and directed - the truth, and all that mankind has added, created, and defiantly declared in opposition to God since, begins to open the eyes of the searching disciple to Father God's perspective. Gaining His perspective and holding it as one's own, starts down the path toward continuing peace - a peace that exists in spite of our temporary surroundings and circumstances. If we're truly to gain God's perspective and understanding though, it may well require that we unlearn some things - sometimes many things, and maybe even some things steeped in tradition. It's at the place of our searching out the actual truth as God has determined it, and our openness and submission to the Holy Spirit in the process of sanctification, that the renewing of our minds begins to take place. For myself, as I began asking The Lord to renew my mind, I also asked Him to heal it as well because life in this world has a way of racking up injuries against it - even though we may not have thought of them as such at the time. It's still a part of my prayers because the world is constantly attempting to assault our minds with its rebellion and ungodliness.
"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him..." Job 13:15 (NKJV)
When a heart truly comes to the point of complete submission to its Creator - having confessed its violations and rebellion against that same God and repenting, the greatest peace is made available in that heart, because through trust in Christ, there is no longer contention between the heart of that man or woman toward the Master of all that He's created, as He is faithful to forgive. This inner contention is the greatest source of anxiety and fear present to mankind. It may not rise to conscious thought in the worldly, but it exists none the less. When by seeking God out in relationship, we've come to know Him as He allows, and our faith in Him has risen to the point of complete trust and surrender because of our knowledge of Him, and we can say as Job did that "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him", we will have allowed ourselves to become subject to the greatest source of peace to be found anywhere. No longer fearing the death of this failing flesh and trusting our souls completely to the God who gave life to them all, our understanding that the path toward the life that we were actually created for in everlasting, eternal relationship with Him is secure, and will forever bring increasing peace as we meditate on it.
We will have trouble in this life. Jesus told us so...
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 13:33 (NKJV)
... but abiding in Him, we may have peace, as He also said. And if we are in Him and He has overcome the world - which He has, then we have cause for cheer because our peace is secured for eternity and we are victorious over the world as we are abiding in Him as His own children. Our trust in our God and our submission to Him put us on the path of an overcoming peace through the grace that we've received by Christ's sacrifice and by the Father who sent Him to save us. Whatever we face, if we know the truth - the eternal truth of God, and keep it before us, trusting His Word with certainty, our peace with God will overshadow any circumstance that may present itself on our way to that place that our Father has always intended to share with us. I have always believed that holding our God's perspective is part of the key to our finding true peace. Nothing here has power to overcome the peace that He offers ... because Christ has already overcome the world.
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