“I had an interesting discussion with one of my neighbors last night,” Stan began. “He approached me as pretty much a mess with worrying about all that’s going on in the world.”
“Easy to get pulled down,” I replied.
“Sure is. My neighbor said he couldn’t sleep and that he couldn’t think about anything other than all of the upheaval of illness, financial uncertainty, and political unrest. On top of all of that, he seemed kind of upset with me.”
“Why you?”
“Because I have told him before that I’m peaceful about it all,” Stan said. “As an example, last night he asked me something about what I thought was going to happen. When I told him I was at peace with whatever happened, he said that I must not understand what’s going on.”
“How did you respond to that?”
“I told him he was right, that I didn’t understand, and that’s what the Bible says. Then he asked me if the Bible really says that I don’t understand what’s going on.”
“Does it?” I asked.
“Sure does,” Stan replied. “But not in the sense of not understanding what’s going on in the world, but in the sense of not understanding why I have the sense of peace regardless of what’s going on. The apostle Paul put it in terms of ‘the peace that surpasses all comprehension’.”
Continuing, he added, “And what was really great about this, is that it opened an opportunity for me to share some Biblical truth with my neighbor.”
“Such as what?”
“I started with what the apostle Paul said in his letter to the church in Rome about having peace with God through Jesus by what He accomplished through His life, death, and resurrection.”
“From there, I was able to talk about peace being a fruit of the Spirit that is available to me in whatever I may be facing in my life.”
“Then,” Stan added, “I was able to circle back to where I started.”
“In what way?”
“I pointed out to my neighbor that I don’t understand my sense of peace because it’s beyond my ability to understand.”
“How did your neighbor respond to all of this?” I asked.
“He said that he had no peace, but that he really wanted some. I was then able to lead him to accept the peace that only God can provide.”
“For both sides of eternity? He came to faith?”
“Sure did!” Stan replied. “Now I have a new brother as well as a neighbor!”
“All from talking about peace in the midst of turmoil.”
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Bible verses to consider:
Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1, 2.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33.
But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . peace. Galatians 5:22.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the peace you provide for me to have with you through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thank you for those who brought me the truth of that peace. Thank you, too, for the peace that is available to me through the Holy Spirit. I confess that too often I do not rely on all of the peace you have available to me, peace for whatever I may face in this world. Please help me to claim and to live a life with all of your peace even though I may not understand it. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Do you have the peace with God that is available through the finished work of Christ? If no, why? If you do have that peace by the assurance of salvation, what about peace in the life you have to live here? Do you have the peace that is available as a fruit of the Spirit? If no, why? Do you believe you can have peace even though you may not understand it? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 