It's Always Time for Peace

STORY: Peace at Your Fingertips

Have you ever experienced a time when God equips you with exactly what you need for the next step in your life? That is the gift God gave me again this week. Let me back up and explain.

No matter what your view on the life around us, it seems that God’s peace is the answer to get us through. Knowing that, I started this word study on peace several months ago. This is devo-study #7 in the series. That’s how important God’s peace is! The content for it is endless, just like the peace of God. And never more valuable than right now.

This past week I found out I need a biopsy to evaluate for oral cancer. Malignancy is not new to me. I’ve had cancer before. I’ve had over a dozen biopsies. And God’s peace has gotten me through every time just like it is holding me up right now.

What does God’s peace look like? It’s a recipe with ingredients like contentment, calm assurance, security, and joy. Yes—even joy!

It’s no accident that I’m studying peace at a time when I need peace. It has become extra real in my life, for sure! I pray you experience that same blessing in your life—a peace that we can’t humanly work up.

There isn’t a trial in our lives that can’t be endured, thanks to God’s peace. Let’s see what the Bible says about it.

STUDY: The Gift of Peace

And through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. (Colossians 1:20 NLT)

• Part of personally enjoying peace is receiving the work Jesus did to reconcile us with God the Father.
• We can experience the intensity of God’s peace because of the beautiful sacrificial gift of the Savior. What does it mean when you think of what Jesus did for you to restore you to the Father?
• What significance do you find in the phrase, “He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth”?

The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace. (Psalm 29:11 NLT)

• It is a blessing from God to experience peace. And often coupled with that peace is strength. God loves to give his people—his children—these gifts.
• How will extra strength help you as you go through a trial requiring peace?

But give great joy to those who came to my defense. Let them continually say, “Great is the LORD, who delights in blessing his servant with peace!” (Psalm 35:27 NLT)

• It’s vital to see the point that the Lord delights in blessing those who serve him with peace. What does that concept mean to you personally?
• It’s also mentioned in this request that those same servants are given great joy. Out of the overflow of peace is the benefit of joy.
• Joy is a kind of happiness that is not dependent on happy circumstances, but rather on an infilling of God’s presence. Can you see why joy and peace go together?

Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! (Proverbs 12:20 NLT)

• Here again, we see joy and peace hanging out together—but pay special attention to how this proverb is worded. It mentions hearts that are planning peace. How might we plan peace?
• Look at the contrasting part of the proverb. The opposite are those who plot evil. Does that help you determine what it means to plan peace?

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” (Daniel 10:19 NLT)

• Often when we need a big portion of peace from God he encourages us to be strong. As he strengthens us to face what is ahead, we experience extra peace as well.
• Daniel said he suddenly felt stronger when God’s words spoke to him. Can you think of a time you were strengthened by God’s words? How did you get these three benefits from it: peace, encouragement, and strength?

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 NLT)

• Getting God’s peace doesn’t mean we are exempt from trials and sorrow. How does peace help in those times?
• How does knowing that God has overcome the world help you have greater peace?

[ Paul’s Final Greetings ] Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16 NLT)

• How is God the Lord of peace?
• Can you think of someone upon whom you would like to pronounce a benediction of peace?
• God’s peace is available at all times and in every situation. Can you think of a time when this didn’t feel possible? How might you access it better?
• How does God’s presence “the Lord be with you all” help you have peace?

STEPS: Be Intentional with Peace

1. Access peace through a position of strength. When you feel powerless, how can you be strong?
2. Through God’s peace, find joy even during bad times. If you have a hard time feeling joyful, take a step back and access God’s peace to see if that helps with your joy quotient.
3. Plan for peace. If peace isn’t God-sized in your life, maybe it is because you haven’t been intentional in experiencing and promoting peace.

Copyright © 2021 Kathy Carlton Willis, used with permission.