Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Mass shootings, natural disasters, political unrest, and financial market instability dominate the news of today. Fallen pastors and false teachers abound. Our daily lives too are frequently fraught with trauma, unexpected difficulties, or unwanted intrusions. All this can, at times, cause our hearts to falter and trouble us with fear, worry, and anxiety. What are we to do when our hearts are in turmoil?
Colossians 3:15 guides us, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
Friend, in your world of trouble, Jesus invites you today to look to Him for peace. And this is not a temporary or a mere pretense of peace like the world offers, Jesus gives a heart mending, mind-calming, beyond comprehension kind of peace that is effective for today and forever.
Look to Jesus and remember that you were once alienated from God, dead in your sins, living in darkness and rebellion, but in love, Christ died for you. Through Jesus' finished work on the cross, He brought peace to you (Romans 5:1-8). On the cross, He purchased your peace.
Because Jesus opened a new and living way through His death (Hebrews 10:20), you can enjoy an intimate and eternal relationship with God (James 4:8) and, because Jesus has torn down the wall of hostility, you can have, as much as possible, peaceful relationships with others (Romans 12:18, Ephesians 2:14).
As God’s child, when feeling turmoil within, you have a safe place to run where you can cast all your cares (1 Peter 5:7). You can look to Jesus on the cross and experience the love that casts out all fear and the peace that passes all understanding today because your eternal life is secure in Christ (1 John 4:18, Philippians 4:7). You can live by faith because you have hope in Jesus and His death and resurrection (Hebrews 6:19, 2 Corinthians 5:7). Because you have been saved forever, you can live confident that today God will keep you through the storms of life (Psalm 27:5, Luke 8:23).