It is true that in good times it is difficult to separate reality from the truth. When the GDP is growing at 7 percent per annum, the government would look impressive. When the world economic is robust the management of the company appears good. When no troubles come our way the people of the world can claim to have peace. So what is the peace spoken of by Christianity?
John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 16:33 - In me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Philippians 4:6 - Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Christianity does not promise a smooth life in this world. Yes even for people of God there will be ups and downs. He is a just and merciful God who gives rain and sunshine to all His creation regardless of whether they are thankful or not, good or bad. The time has not come for Him to separate His people from those who declare that they do not need His grace of salvation.
He is not an absentee God, as much as Satan would like to advocate. His Spirit is in all His people. If you felt pain He felt your pain too. If you felt desperate He felt your desperation too. When you felt lost He felt your loss too. The Spirit is crying out for you to claim the promise given in Philippians 4:6.
This verse promised the peace of God, which passes all understanding. This does not make much sense to unbelievers. If I need a job His answer must certainly be to provide me a job. It is not my fault that the economic is down and I was retrenched. I am a victim.
When someone upsets, or hurts you, the advice is;
Do not get mad, Get even.
There is a better way
Do not get mad, Do not get even
Get on with your life.
You have already been wronged, Why do you have to be weighed down by this barrage on your journey of life? You will be more mobile without it.
Do put God to the test, enjoy His peace and see what comes next. No you are not at the end of the rope. The rope is not for you to slide down but to climb up. And the sky is the limit.
King David had experienced this. Born the youngest and not valued much by his father. He went on to defeat Goliath and ended up being hunted by king Saul. He refused to react by human impulse to get ride of Saul, for Saul was anointed by God. He finally became king and his own son, Absalom, drove him from his throne in Jerusalem. When Shimei cursed him as he was escaping to Jordan he could only tell his men; "Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite!"
Yet in one of the most beautiful psalms in the Bible, David wrote; "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
The Christian peace is not the "peace of mind". The peace one enjoys when there is no problem and everything is going smoothly. The Christians' peace is the inability to fear evil when things appear bad, the inability to find the word "anxiety" in their dictionary.
May the God of creation, the God of salvation and the God in you bestows His peace upon you. Amen.
If you need someone to talk to and pray with you, write me.
