Peace
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27 NKJV
Peace, freedom from disturbance; tranquility. When Jesus said peace I leave with you he did not mean freedom from problems. The peace Jesus is offering is a peace different from what the world is offering. The Greek work for peace in this verse, eirene, means a tranquil state of the soul that is independent of external circumstances. Jesus is inviting His disciples to enter into His peace.
This is the peace I strive for. That regardless of the circumstances I would feel His peace, I would choose His peace. I know from personal experience this is not an easy thing.
My husband William and I were married in July of 2009. In February of 2011 he woke up with severe head pain and a fever. I took him to urgent care and they suggested we go to the emergency room. They were waiting for us when we arrived and things went downhill from there. This was not the first time my husband had experienced this kind of pain and he knew what was going on.
After an CT his feeling was confirmed. He had Mastoiditis and after a spinal tap he was also diagnosed with Meningitis. He was immediately taken to the ICU and the prognosis was not good, actually it was terrible. To make a very long story short we had some decisions to make and none of them were pleasant.
In the middle of this storm my husband and I both had peace. It’s so hard to explain, but I knew everything was going to be fine. My husband chose not to have surgery to deal with the infection headed towards his carotid artery and the holes it was eating in his mastoid bone, he also had infection in the meninges of his brain and spinal cord. Now to some people I know this sounds crazy and I’m not suggesting it’s what anyone else should do. What I am saying is that this is the decision my husband made and I supported his decision 100%.
At Wiliam’s final MRI the doctors were stunned because all the infection was gone and he was completely healed. Praise Jesus!!
Walking through sickness is hard, making personal decisions on medical treatment is hard. It can be made harder when people around you do not understand or agree with your decisions. What sustained us through this was the peace of God. You have to push out all negative voices and focus on God. He will give you a peace that does not make sense.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Phillipians 4:7 NKJV
Sickness is not the only difficulty in our lives. I don’t know what your circumstances are, but I do know that God wants you to have peace through them.
The very next verses in Phillipians help us with how to do that.
Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned and received and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you.
Phillipians 4:8-9 NKJV
I love to pray scripture, think on His word when you are struggling with peace and speak these things over your life and the lives of those around you.
Jesus we thank you for your word. We thank you that there is power in your word and we speak these things over us and our circumstances:
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
2 Thessalonians 3:16
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Colossians 3:15
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 1:2
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
Jesus I speak peace into my circumstances. I will continue to keep my focus on you and not the world around me. I put my trust in you and your word. Thank you for never leaving or forsaking me. In Jesus name, Amen.
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