May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity – Psalm 122:7-9
God is good. His love and His mercies endure forever. He is filled with compassion for His people, forgiving their sins through His Son and growing their faith through His Spirit. He desires that we, as His dearly loved children, live in that same peace with Him and with one another. His model is one that we can easily see and clearly follow.
So why then is it so difficult to achieve true peace? A peace that is more than simply painting a smile on our faces to cover up hurts or ignoring issues by imagining they just don’t exist. No real improvement can be made by sticking your head in the sand, but yet that is precisely what many of us do when it comes to dealing with the troubles we face. We can come up with all the excuses we want, but excuses aren’t solutions. They are attempts to justify indecision, weakness, and fear. Excuses run hollow when compared to what God desires for us. This is because man’s methods merely provide a coping mechanism while God’s deal with the core issue. The world’s way seeks personal satisfaction where God’s way offers hope and peace.
In God we not only find the true peace that He desires for us, but also the courage and strength needed to pursue and achieve it. Peace is not automatic, but through full submission to the will of the Father in our lives, the tools are within our reach. It is my prayer that we find that peace in every area of our lives, that we might better serve God in every capacity. Let our hearts be filled with the Holy Spirit, who serves as our guide to ensure that we enjoy the fullness of the peace that passes all understanding.