Everyone is looking for peace. And there’s many good reasons. We are all broken in one way or another. And we live in a world that is broken and painful. We live with other people who are broken and often cause us pain. And we have to work hard to meet our needs for food, clothing and shelter to care for our families. And on top of this we feel the need to succeed, to be something, to make a difference. So our lives are often full of stress, fear, discontentment and anger. And we want some peace.
The problem isn’t that we search for peace. God wants us to be at peace. God made us to be whole, not broken. So our longing for it is a longing for what God designed us for. The problem is that we seek peace in the wrong places and in wrong ways. So let me begin by warning you to –
Beware of false peace
Our culture teaches us to seek after a peace that doesn’t last, that isn’t substantial, and that doesn’t truly satisfy. And so we look for peace in things like:
- Consumerism – we look for peace in buying things, not so much what we get as that we like to spend money and get new things.
- Wealth – we look for peace in having lot’s of resources for our comfort and as security against the future.
- Sex – we look for peace in satisfying our sexual desires in whatever way we want. Our culture is obsessed with this, as if it were the ultimate goal and source of our contentment.
- Relationships – we look for peace through our relationships with others, how many or what kind of friends we have.
- Drugs and alcohol – we look for peace through the effects of drug and alcohol abuse to give us a high and take us away from reality.
- Entertainment – we look for peace by losing ourselves in the alternate reality of movies, games, the internet, etc..
- Success in life – we look for peace through social status; by being famous, or having an outstanding career. We look for meaning in this.
But none of these can give a peace that truly satisfies, or lasts. Let’s face it, if these gave peace we would be a country full of contented people. No, these just distract us from out discontentment.
Let’s look now at –
How to find true peace
1. True peace come from complete trust in God. Trust means reliance on someone, in this case, God. Instead of depending on yourself, you depend on God. Isaiah 26:3 shows us that trust in God is the path to true peace. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
Trusting can be hard, but God is worthy of our complete trust. That’s because God is faithful in his love for us and is able to take care of us. Deuteronomy 7:9 says, “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” God’s faithful love will never fail us. Because of this we can trust God with all of our concerns and needs.
But it is a choice to rely on God. Evan as Christians we often choose to carry our own burdens instead of trusting in God. So here are some scriptural encouragements to trust God: Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.” Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
2. True peace comes from complete yieldedness to God. To yield means to concede or surrender. In this case it means you stop resisting and submit to God so that you walk in his ways. Psalm 119:165 shows us that yieldedness to God is the path to true peace. “Great peace have those who love your law” – that is, those who do God’s will. Although Scripture teaches that “there is no peace . . . for the wicked,” (Isaiah 48:22) when we walk in God’s ways, we will find peace
God is worthy of our submission. God is our creator and maker. Psalm 139:13 says, “You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Although we want to do things our way and make our own choices about everything, God knows what is best for us – God made us! God knows what will bring us true happiness. That’s why God teaches us his will in the Scriptures, so that we will know the way to peace.
But it is a choice to yield to God: Even as Christians we fight with God. We want to do what we know is wrong, because we think we know better than God what will give us peace.
So here are some scriptural encouragements to yield to God: Isaiah 46:12 says, “Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness.” Jeremiah 7:23 says, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.”
Finally let’s note that –
God’s peace is a tough peace
God doesn’t fix all of our problems. That has to wait until the time of resurrection, for which we wait in hope. But God gives us a peace that is stronger than our problems. God gives us a peace that we can have in the midst of our difficulties.
- Those who have tribulations in this world can nevertheless have the peace that Jesus gives. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” – John 16:33.
- Those who are persecuted can nevertheless have joy in the Lord. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” – Matthew 5:11-12.
- Those who lack all that they need can nevertheless be content through the strength that Christ gives. “For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” – Philippians 4:11-13.
God doesn’t give us peace by solving every problem we have, but the peace he gives can give us calm, joy and contentment in the midst of our trials.
William Higgins
Christian teaching 
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