Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  ~ John 14:27

Sounds Simple Enough

This passage from John is one that hopes and strives to invoke a sense of calm, an overwhelming feeling of wellbeing.  And when you read it, you can feel that power immediately, but when you try to apply it to your life, your schedule, your reality, it quickly becomes a passage that feels insurmountable to say the least. The definition of the word Peace found in the dictionary is this: freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility.

I have been thinking a lot about Peace lately as I am waiting on the Lord. Peace is hard to have when you feel anxious, are unsure of your next steps and often afraid.  We are a people who like to feel in control of our own destiny and while we are in the midst of trying to control, the last thing that is evident is a sense of Peace.

But recently through a process of praying and waiting on the Lord I have found a way to experience a greater understanding and clarity surrounding this concept of Peace.

My definition for peace is: being known, loved and forgiven.

Peace is the result of being known. God leaves that nugget of priceless information with us; it is given to us as a gift. Being known then opens us up to being loved; by God, by ourselves, by others. In a world that shouts the word Love without regard to its manifestation, this is a deep seated love that resides and thrives inward and then reaches out.

To be loved is to be known, intimately and unconditionally.  And finally forgiveness, doesn’t it always come down to this, to this decision, this choice, to forgive so that you can live with this sense of Peace. It’s easy to ask for forgiveness for the things we have messed up on, but it is so much harder to seek forgiveness for those who have harmed us. But it is in this act that we see, feel and taste true peace.

I encourage you to try this definition of Peace on for size, live in it, experience the world through it, and take note of how it changes you.

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We thank Ellen Heatwole for this meditation on Peace for our Advent series.