Encouragement - Pt. 8

 

[Jesus said] “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:25-27 ESV).

 

For the last devotional in our Encouragement series, I wanted to use the current climate in our nation as a springboard. The photo I’ve selected today is taken with the capital in the background and hundreds of people protesting. Without using any of the space I have today to speak to the wisdom or efficacy of either “side” in the issue prompting the protest, let me say these events make it all the more difficult to understand what Jesus meant when He said He was leaving His peace with us (v. 27). As we well know, while the protest often started benignly, they rarely ended so.

 

I am sure you would agree that right now peace is what we need in our country and in our hearts. With that in mind, this is a fantastic time to understand the meaning and context of our reading. For many people, peace can mean the absence of conflict or trouble. While this is a definition of peace I don’t believe that is what Jesus was talking about here. This peace that Jesus was talking about means rest, quietness, or a stillness in your heart. It is not the absence of trouble, but it exists in spite of trouble. This peace pushes through all the disturbing circumstances that life can throw at you. It gives you the ability to endure and be calm even in the face of extreme turmoil. This peace doesn’t eliminate conflict or trouble, but gives you the ability to endure through it. Consider it an inner confidence that you know God will come through in this situation, and that removes your fear and worry and replaces it with peace.

 

This is not the peace the world offers to us. Peace that the world gives is dependent mostly on the circumstances. When everything lines up, life is good, and there are no problems, this is when a measure of peace comes. Peace, by the world’s standards, is simply the absence of any problems, disturbances, or inconveniences. The peace that Jesus gives is far different from that. It is not dependent on circumstances. This peace flows in the midst of persecution, trouble, disappointment, confusion, and anxiety. Jesus recognizes that he would not always remove you from the challenging situations of life. He never promised to do that. What he did promise is that in spite of the situations in life, he will give you peace. It is that peace that encourages me to keep moving.