Peace

Hope and peace don’t come without a fight. God is pleased to work hope and peace in us surely but gradually. They come as we meditate, feed on Scripture, feed on Christ, and keep calling out for grace. The kingdom of God advances through weakness and dependence on the King, not through quick and bloodless victories. If you are feeling a bit weak, you are probably on the right path.

Essential to this battle with fear and anxiety is the gift of humility. It fits perfectly, doesn’t it? In our anxiety we are usually concerned about things we love. We want control. We want to take matters into our own hands to protect our future, but we are finding that it is impossible to manage all possible contingencies. We want to protect our kingdom. Find anxiety and you often find that your agenda is more important to you than God’s. You might find that you adopt your own interpretation of God’s world rather than submit to God’s clear words about His power, love, and care.

Peter writes about the link between humility and anxiety: 

1 Peter 5:6, 7 "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."

He is asking us to do just one thing, and that is to humble ourselves before the Lord. Humility is expressed by casting our anxieties on the mighty and trustworthy one.

When a child’s fears are not swayed by a parent’s attempts at comfort, the child is essentially saying either that the monster under the bed is stronger than the parent, or the parent doesn’t really care about the child’s best interests. The child’s fear shows his or her lack of trust or confidence in the parent. Humility, in contrast, hears the voice of the parent and believes that the parent can be trusted, even when the evidence suggests that circumstances are out of control. Humility says, “I believe you more than I believe my eyes or my imagination.” Humility is submissive. This means that information and knowledge will not bring peace. Even more, we must respond to what we hear with humility and trust.

There are steps toward peace, but they are a little different than the steps we take in following a recipe. These steps are all personal. Know the God who comes near and walk before him in humility. Don’t give up on the pursuit of peace. Peace will make you feel better, which is a good thing, but there is something greater at stake. In a world where true peace seems impossible, we want to be ambassadors who say that real peace is available to us only in the Prince of Peace. This, indeed, will bring glory to God.