Peace. What comes to mind when you hear the word? Go ahead and say the word out loud and formulate a thought in your mind.
Did you say it? What came to mind? Some of you may have thought of a beauty pageant contestant speaking on world peace. You may have thought of a peace sign or a bell bottomed someone holding two fingers in the air. Or maybe you thought of a sleeping baby or a rolling stream. Maybe your mind took you the opposite direction and you thought of the lack of peace we have in our world. Political unrest. Wars. Famine. Racism.
Peace is one of those things that everyone wants but no one really knows how to get. And if they do figure out how to get it, they can't figure out how to keep it. Lots of people think that living a peaceful life is living a life without problems. If we could just get rid of our stress, if we could get our finances in order, if we could get away from that annoying family member/coworker. But, this can't be further away from the Biblical view of peace.
Living a peaceful life doesn't come from living a life without conflict. A peaceful life comes from focusing on the things that God wants us thinking about. One of my favorite pastors to listen to online, Craig Groschel, is pastor at LifeChurch.tv. In one of his most recent sermons he says, "What goes into your mind comes out in your life. You cannot have a positive life if you have a negative mind. If you can't control what you think, you will never control what you do. The life you have is a reflection of the thoughts you think."
Can I get an Amen? I can say that I've been the victim to a life ruled by negative thoughts. No....I've not been the victim, I've been the criminal! My negative thoughts are my own that I've allowed sin to dwell in. But I find that when I take my negative thoughts captive and recognize them for the sin they are --- realizing they are stealing my joy, robbing my peace, and setting my life on a path of discord --- I am able to tap into the power of God and shun those thoughts.
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5
So how do I tap into that power? There are several ways we can access that power and use it in our daily thoughts and actions.
1. You can tap into the power of God through His Word.
Read it. Think about it. Act on it. Write it down. Study it. Put God's word at the forefront of your mind and you will experience peace.
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24
"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9
2. We tap into the power of God through prayer.
Talk to God. Tell Him your struggles. Tell him what you are thankful for. Cry out to Him.
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16
3. We tap into the power of God through other believers.
We find peace when we have unity with one another. When we come together as Christians, we are stronger and can stand together when problems of this world arise.
"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12
Peace is not impossible. Peace is not a myth. Peace is real and it can be found in a personal relationship with Christ. Those who love Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, have an easier time coping and responding to the temporary "peace" the world offers. Only Christ can bring lasting peace - peace with God, peace among nations and peace within our hearts. Until He comes we can find peace in God’s Word.
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