“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7
It’s About Perspective
Most people do not realize the most gentile of things can also be the most powerful. Water as a constant drip can seem harmless, yet that constant drip of water can change landscapes over time. It can even change the formation of rocks.
Peace is one of the most underestimated things in our life. Everyone wants peace, and many never truly find peace. We try to find peace through many avenues such as a hobby, through relationships, religion, careers, money, drugs and other substance abuses, etc.. We always tend to think that “one more thing” that’s missing will give us peace, but it never does. Some people have everything and still have no peace and some people have nothing and don’t have peace.
Peace Offense and Defense
Most of us think of peace as something to attain or get. We have a view of peace as being that “warm and fuzzy” feeling that makes anxiety and uneasiness go away. Peace does do that. But when we look at what peace means it helps us understand the offense and defense of peace.
By definition, peace means freedom from disturbance; tranquility. It implies a state or period in which there is no war, or a war has ended. That’s what happens in our lives daily. There is always the opportunity for war. The war of will my finances be ok, my children, my job, marriage, health, and life in general?
Many of us attain a level of peace and tranquility only to lose it shortly after we have found it. When we find peace, this is where peace becomes offensive, it begins to rid the fears and turmoil from our lives, and we find that ”knowing” of everything is going to work out and be fine.
But let us look at peace differently. Let us look at it as defensive. The Bible says, “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and your mind through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (KJV). The word keep here means a guard, but not just any guard. It is a guard that covers your mind and heart.
The first place that peace leaves us is in the mind through thoughts. These thoughts and imaginations create scenarios of what might or might not happen. Then these thoughts trigger emotions that penetrate the heart and affecting human emotions. These emotions start having effects on the physical body releasing chemicals that have adverse effects on us in various ways.
But notice peace can act like a guard! It doesn’t just bring tranquility it GUARDS tranquility from leaving!
Don’t Let Your Guard Down
There are a several things that can help us understand how peace can guard us as well as calm us and over the next few articles we will look at them individually.
Peace is the loudest when there is nothing said.
When you don’t hear anything, any direction, any answers, relax! God speaks the loudest when He says nothing at all.
“And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].When you don’t hear anything, any direction, any answers, relax! God speaks the loudest when He says nothing at all.” Colossians 3:15. (Amplified Bible)
When there is peace, that is God speaking, when there is no peace, that is God speaking. Many of us lose peace because we think we aren’t getting the right answers at the right place and at the right time. That is letting the guard of peace down. Worry starts to settle in, and imaginations begin to run wild. When something feels unsettled, this is when the guarding part of peace is trying to be pushed down. This is a warning that your defensive measures that provide tranquility are under attack. If you feel safe on the inside, move on. If you don’t, then we go to the next step to ensure the guard stays up. It is not as hard as you may think!
Charles M. Barnes 