15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. – Colossians 3:15
How do we do peace well? Seems like even within the Church, we struggle to maintain this holiest of rhythms. When we take inventory of the contents of our hearts, peace is buried behind fear, insecurity, and panic.
When discussing such things, I always try to look at the life of Jesus for help. How did He navigate through it all? If there was ever a life of chaos, it would be His. Constantly pulled in all directions, demanded by people, betrayed by friends, His life could have easily doubled the panic of our own. Yet, His was a life of ridiculous balance. Even with the demands of being God, He maintained a thriving peace.
So how did He do it and how are we to capture such peace?
It is important to remember that peace is active. We must fight for that rest and tranquility and realize that though influenced by circumstances, our hearts are never bound by them. It is a seemingly great paradox that peace must be fought for, but it is true. In the mad dash of life, no one will hand over consumptive peace. While Christ calls us to a disciplined life, He grants the peace that comes from saying the word a lot of us hate; “No”. It is only in a prudish protection of our peace that we can help those in this world. Peace rises above transgression, stress, and the pitfalls of life, but we have to be able to see the forrest from the trees. It is no coincidence that this verse ends with the command “always be thankful”. Perhaps it is in the most sincere gratitude that we find the peace of God. Thankfulness is merely seeing God as He is and recognizing His movement in our daily lives, regardless of the worries of the present.
Lord, we wish for peace. Transcend our circumstances to give us a dogged hunger for what only you can provide. Craft in us a thankful spirit that sees you in everything. Mature us past the stress of today.
Matt simon blog 