Most of us have a pretty good job or at least one that gets the bills paid. We may not live in a mansion but most of us have a roof over our head. We may not eat at a 5 star restaurant every night but most of us have food on the table. We may not wear the latest designer clothes but most of us do have clothes to wear.
And we’re not just trying to survive either. We’re so busy. We go to work and to church and to the kids ball games and maybe to help out with things at our kids school and to eat with friends and so on. To take a break from all those things, we go on vacations and fill up our time with whole lists of other things. If we have any spare time after all that, we’re on our phones or tablets or computers, keeping up on all the latest news and the goings on in our friends lives. We go and do and go and do. There is so much going on in all our lives and in the world in general.
We have lots of things and we’re getting lots of things done, for us and for other people. And yet, for all that we have and all that we have going on, there is one thing that many of us lack. Peace. What’s up with that? Let’s talk about that.
Let’s start by looking at a well known verse of Scripture concerning this.
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 heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Jesus promised us peace. However, notice that He did not promise lack of problems. He even specifically said that the kind of piece that He gives is not the same kind that the world gives. That is much of the problem. The kind of peace that many of us are seeking and expecting God to provide is what the world thinks of as peace, that is lack of problems. But if we are going to have real and long lasting peace, it can’t be based on a lack of problems because we are going to have problems. Jesus promised as much.
Look at what He said here.
John 16
33 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.
Jesus promises that, in Him, we can have peace. However, in the same verse, He promises that, as long as we are in this world, we will have problems. You see, the kind of peace He is talking about, true peace, is not based on circumstances.
No doubt, you’ve heard Philippians 4:13 quoted, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. That sounds very comforting and it is absolutely true but only quoting that single verse leaves out a key part of what God is trying to tell us. How are we able to do all things in Christ? Is it by Him fixing all our problems? Let’s back up a couple verses and look at this in context, in order to see what Paul is really saying here.
Philippians 4
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
In verse 11, Paul says that he has learned to be content, no matter his circumstances. In verse 12, he goes on to talk about not only being full and having abundance, but also about being hungry and suffering need. It is in that context that, in verse 13, he says that he can do all things by relying on Christ’s strength. Paul is saying that we must learn to be content in all circumstances, rather than always expecting Him to fix our circumstances.
Part of learning to be content is learning to be thankful, no matter our circumstances.
You also hear Philippians 4:7 quoted a lot, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”. This is true but that’s just part of it. Let’s back up a verse and, as before, let’s look at it in context.
Philippians 4
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Verse 6 says “with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”. Let that first part sink in, “with thanksgiving”.
How much of our stress comes from wanting what we don’t have? I’m not only talking about material possessions. We want a bigger house, a better car, more money, better health. We want our kids to go to better schools and hang out with better friends. In our relationships, we want people to treat us better, take us more seriously, appreciate us more. We want want want. All that wanting is where a lot of our stress comes from. We’re too worried about what we don’t have but how often do we think about just how fortunate we are; how blessed we are? We need to stop and look at how much we do have, how much God has already blessed us, and we need to thank Him for that. It’s fine to ask Him for more but we should only do that after we have shown Him that we are truly thankful for what He has already done.
Philippians 4
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
He will meet all our needs. Not always our wants. As we get more, we tend to want more. If He met all of our wants, it would be a never ending cycle and, in the end, that wouldn’t be at all good for us. We tend to intuitively understand this concept when it comes to our own children but we often forget that the same principle applies to us as God’s children. He loves us too much to give us everything we want but He will supply our needs. Our most basic need is for Him and, if you have repented of your sin and submitted to Him as Lord, then that need is already met but He will meet other needs as well.
The problem is that we often tend to think our wants are needs. We think we need a bigger house or a new car but, if we really look at it, in most cases, our current house and car are just fine. We come up with all kinds of ways to turn these wants into needs. Sometimes they really are needs but very often they are not. Just as we do with our children, He will also sometimes give us our wants but we are not promised that.
In Matthew 6:25-34, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has a lot to say about meeting the needs of His children.
A key part of that is verse 33, which says to first seek Him and His righteousness. That is what we should do in all things and that is what will bring us peace. However, often, we are too busy seeking other things to do that. We don’t spend time in His Word and praying to Him. So, we don’t know Him that well and we end up seeking what our own righteousness tells us is right. The problem is, we are not righteous (Romans 3:10).
Too often, we try to figure out things on our own and we assume that God thinks the same way we do. That is a big mistake. He does not.
Isaiah 55
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Proverbs 3
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 14
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
His ways are not our ways. We must not rely only on our intellect and reasoning. That will lead to death. We must trust Him and His ways, even when we don’t understand His ways.
You know the bottom line of all this, the one thing that will bring us peace? God. One thing that really detracts from our peace is that we lead such busy lives that we don’t take time to focus on Him. Psalm 46:10 tells us that we are to be still and know that He is God. We need to take the time to spend in the Word and in prayer. Only through that can we draw closer to Him and only by drawing closer to Him can we ever truly find peace.
I challenge you to spend time with Him, getting into His Word and praying to Him, daily. When you get into His word, really dig into it. When you pray to Him, don’t just talk but listen as well. Don’t just assume that you know Him. Really take the time to truly get to know Him, to know who He really is. See what happens in your heart, over time, as a result. Your circumstances may change. They may not. Regardless, I think that you will be surprised at what happens. I think that you will find peace.
