Growing up, when mum travelled abroad, she always left money for us to cover what she anticipated we would need while she was away. And sure enough, what she left was always more than enough for everything we needed.
When Christ physically left us here on earth, He was well aware of the problems we would face; the violence, bad economic conditions, diseases, etc and yet what He left us was His peace. Perhaps His peace is all we need to overcome all the challenges we will face until His return.
Jesus spoke in John 14:27 saying, “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.”
It is sometimes helpful to consider how verses read in other Bible translations to help us have a better understanding of the author’s intended meaning. Four of such translations for the scripture verse give further clarity and insight as follows:
Contemporary English Version (CEV)- I give you peace, the kind of peace only I can give. It isn't like the peace this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) - I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid.
New Living Translation (NLT) - I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
Living Bible (TLB) - I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
You Can Be Aware of Things Happening Around You and Not Be Troubled by Them
It’s amazing that when Jesus spoke these words, He knew that in just a matter of time, He would be arrested, crucified and eventually die. He was within sight of the Cross. But somehow, and remarkably so, He was not obsessed with focusing on His looming suffering. It’s easy for us to overlook this truth, but when you put yourself in His shoes, knowing what He knew about the anguish He would soon be subjected to, the last thing on your mind would be the concern for others.
But the reason Jesus could be more concerned about His disciples’ well-being than His own impending, horrific death, is because Jesus had peace.
His peace was not only displayed in the moments before His crucifixion and death. His entire life was characterised by a state of being at peace.
When He and His disciples were in the boat and the storm raged, Jesus was peacefully sleeping. And even when His disciples woke Him up in a frantic, He remained calm and at peace.
When religious leaders contended with Him, he maintained control and was at peace.
When He was being falsely accused, He remained at peace.
When He was being brutally beaten and nailed to the cross, He remained at peace. Peaceful enough to ask for the forgiveness of His persecutors.
His Peace Is Not Normal Peace, It’s Perfect Peace
A revelation from these events in the life of Jesus, is that He was at peace, not because of the absence of trouble in His life and environment. In fact, he was at peace in times when He would've been justified not to be. He was at peace when it would’ve been understandable not to be. He was at peace under conditions where it wasn't normal for one to be at peace in. In other words, from a human, natural perspective, His peace doesn’t make sense. It's not normal. That's perhaps why He says that the peace He gives you is unlike anything the world can give. It’s not fragile, its different and only He can give it.
The peace of the world is unstable and temporary, because it is based on the outward, external circumstances, which are always changing. Therefore as conditions change for the worse, so does the state of one’s peace come to an end.
The peace of God is not found in houses, vehicles and bank account balances. It's not found in fashion or fame, nor is it found in titles and accolates. This type of peace from the world, will be disrupted when circumstances change, as they always will. And although those things can make you live comfortably on the outside, they cannot give you inner joy and peace. That's why we are often shocked when we hear of people who have ended their lives and our first thoughts are, “but they had everything”. We think material things are what will give us true peace.
True and lasting peace can only be found in Jesus Christ. It's fixed and stable regardless of the circumstances of your day. His peace will stay with you even though you find yourself in the midst of trials, tribulation and turmoil.
Seek and Pursue His Peace
Jesus had perfect peace, the type that only comes from having a right relationship with God.
A relationship fueled by having an understanding of His written Word and an intimacy with His Person. Simply put, when you choose to abide in His Word, you will experience His peace.
It's therefore reasonable to say that children of God who lack peace, perhaps don’t read and study God’s Word enough. They are not aware of His promises. Their physical manifestations are more real to them than God and His Word. It's only in God’s Word that you grow in the knowledge of Him and our Lord Jesus, that grace and peace will be multiplied to you.
As long as we nurture and grow our relationship with the Father, our peace will remain. Steadfast. Firm. Unwavering. Immovable. Unshakeable. Far beyond all understanding.
It doesn't matter what you hear or what you are being told; whether it's about your health, family, finances, business, etc, as long as it doesn't measure up to God's truth, it's not a factor.
Therefore train your mind to stay on the truth of God's Word always, and to accept it as the final authority. When you do, you’ll have peace that surpasses all understanding.
Jesus says that you shouldn't let your heart be troubled, which seems to suggest that we have a choice. We can choose to be troubled or we can choose not to be afraid. When you never take your focus off Him, you’ll have no reason to doubt and nothing to fear.
His peace is not the absence of conflict or trouble, but the confident assurance of His provision, His protection, and His power. It's resting in His sovereignty, recognising that He's in control.
Pursuing peace means that you are following after God and deliberate about not exposing yourself to conditions that could disrupt your peace. It's seeking rest, quietness or stillness in your heart, in the midst of trouble, disturbances and inconveniences.
You must hence be selective and intentional about what you allow in and around your space. The programs you watch, and the music you listen to, the content you read and the places you go, they either contribute to your peace or cultivate fear.
Decide then, that you’ll be ruled by peace. The Peace of God.
"Peace I Leave with You, My Peace I Give to You"
When undergoing an invasive procedure like an operation, you are normally given an anaesthetic to numb you. This is because the surgeon needs you to be completely still when he operates on you. If you are kicking, screaming, and holding his hands, then he is unable to perform a successful procedure.
Similarly, as you go through life, there may be moments of worry, anxiety and fear. Moments when the challenges of life begin to invade your peace. God’s Word is the anaesthetic that will calm you down and get you still. And it's in your stillness that His hand will move in your circumstances and restore your peace.
Always remember that the peace Jesus gives you transcends all forms of persecution and trouble. His peace dissipates all fear.
To wrap up, allow me to share a brief story with you.
I use the services of a certain security company for the house alarm system. Some of the company’s security guards are stationed in a yard not far from my house, and they just sit in their cars all day.
I have noticed that though they are stationed near my house, they only come to my house when my alarm goes off. They don’t come unless they are called.
Imagine that God is like the security guards. He is everything you will ever need in time of trouble, and He is very near you. But He won’t go where He is not called. So, all He does is wait, waiting on you to call on Him.
So if you find yourself void of Christ’s peace, consider reconnecting with the Father and drawing closer to Him. Call on Him. He will come through in your situation to remove your worry and fear and replace it with His peace.
Jesus has given us His perfect peace. Pursue it.
"The spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to bind up the brokenhearted, to comfort all who mourn, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."