Finding Peace: Part 2 (John 14:27)
The story is told of two painters. Each painted a picture to illustrate his concept of rest. The first chose for his scene a still, serene lake among the far-off mountains. The second painted a thundering waterfall with a fragile birch tree bending over the foam; at the fork of a branch, almost wet with the cataract’s spray, a robin sat on its nest.
Which best portrayed the essence of rest? It is not often in this world of turmoil that we find the rest of a lone mountain lake. More often we must find our rest amid the turmoil of real life.
Read the story recorded in Matthew 8:23–27 of Jesus and His disciples on the Sea of Galilee (see also Mark 4:35–41, Luke 8:22–25). However unique the situation, what can we take away from this account for ourselves; that is, what is the message for us, and how can we apply it to our lives, regardless of our situation?
Why do you think Jesus was concerned that His disciples have peace? Jesus left us with a beautiful promise about peace: ‘“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you’” (John 14:27, NKJV). How does the peace the world is trying to give differ from the peace Jesus offers?
One thing we mustn’t do, and that is equate peace with a life without problems. Rare is the person, even the most faithful Christian, who goes through life without trials, pain, and suffering. Indeed, some folk have, it seems, more than their share of suffering. Peace, though, has more to do with how you handle these situations than with the situations themselves. Peace has to do with the deepest trust in a loving and caring God who knows what you are going through and has promised not to forsake you, no matter what comes your way.
What types of things make you upset? Talk to God about your deepest fears. Call them by name. Ask the Lord to help you get in touch with the fear and identify it. Then take time to allow Him to begin to speak peace gently to those fears.
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