Thursday the 15th

John 16:  ³³"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

So that you may have peace….man…that is something we are all searching for isn't it? peace in our life, peace of mind…..just peace…..the original text used the word eirō (to join); peace; by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest.  We spend a lot of time searching out this elusive peace, if we can just get the right job, the right spouse, the right house, the right friends…..then we can have peace. We can rest, we can calm the storm, things will be easier. The older we get the more we come to realize that in this world, it is not a matter of making it easy. Christ himself said the we would have troubles in this world, that should be a pretty good indicator that if you  chasing peace, if you are chasing after a place to rest, you will have a hard time finding it. With each accomplishment comes new worries, and new sets of unique problems. So perhaps the problem is not a matter of finding peace. Maybe peace is something that you will not find, because you already have it.  Have you ever worked on a project, be it at your house, or at your job, and when you finish the project, and you are cleaning up, you come across a tool that would have made the whole project so much easier? I know I have. You pick up this elusive tool and think, "man, if I had this when I started, I would have been done with a lot less stress, and taken a lot less time. That my friends is the peace of the Lord, you have it in your tool box, it is right there for you to use. Peace will never be found in anything you attain, because you already have it, you just have to utilize it.  Utilize your peace in Christ, and you will find that all of your projects will go smoother, you will find that the storm is no storm at all, just a summer shower. Christ has overcome the world, He has overcome death. The inner temple curtain has been ripped in half and  we have direct access to God through His son, our brother, Jesus Christ. Use that knowledge as your compass to find true north.  You can spend your life chasing worldly peace, but really it is comfort that you are seeking. Access the comfort already given to you freely. Place Christ in your life, and let Him navigate. You will find the peace that you have been searching for. This life is full of troubles, but they are only a season. Allow the peace of Christ to settle in. He has given us all that we need, before we ever needed it. It is just up to us to pull it out of the tool box.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian