But all who listen to Me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.
Proverbs 1:33
Like many people, I’ve spent lots of time considering the word “peace”—and certainly never like I did in 2016. World news was once again dominated by acts of terrorism, and in the U.S., daily broadcasts of everything from politics to local events revealed struggle, strife, and animosity in abundance.
Perhaps, like me, you’ve also spent time wondering if we will ever be able to experience real peace this side of Heaven. The great news is that God’s Word confirms that we can—we should—enjoy His kind of peace in our day-to-day lives, and this is the message you’ll discover in Sonkist Ministries’ latest book, I Choose Peace! Here is an excerpt from Chapter 2 that speaks to the thoughts above:
Like many people throughout history, you may be wondering why God would allow such evil to be perpetuated—especially on members of His forever family. Once again, the rationale for all of this links to the very beginning of human existence. Disregarding God’s guidelines had consequences, and the decision by Adam and Eve to reject God’s wishes, mirrors the rebellious act of Lucifer and the other fallen angels. While time ticks on, the imperfections initiated by the choice to turn away from the guidelines God provided for perfect and peaceful living will continue. However, the Lord is good—He has given us gentle reminders of this reality all throughout His Word, including the verse that started this chapter. Let’s look at John 16:33 again: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
In some of His final words to His followers, Jesus spoke of the realities of living in a fallen world—yet He also offered an amazing peace that people can experience by having a personal relationship with Him. Look at the wording again: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me.” It’s as if Jesus were saying, “Sure, life will be hard when I’m gone. You will have your own intrapersonal struggles. People won’t like you because you’re Christians. The devil is at work in the world, and so are his evil forces. But don’t worry! I can help you because I am the One who has overcome sin, evil, and their consequences.”
If we just focused on the consequences sin has had on humanity, we can grasp why peace is so challenging to experience here on earth. This situation might also be pretty depressing as we face the reality that our flawed human state, as well as the devil and his forces, are constantly working against us in our quest for harmonious living. But, as Jesus reminded us, we don’t have to be discouraged—we should “take heart!” In Him we can find true, lasting peace—and that’s exactly what the next chapter is going to delve into in a much deeper way.
Our prayer is that I Choose Peace! will encourage you in your journey toward finding the Lord’s peace—and that you’ll also be able to share about how to experience the peace-filled life God always hoped His creation would enjoy!
*I Choose Peace! can be found in paperback and Kindle formats at Amazon.com.
Thought of the Month
If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
I Peter 3:10-11
