Advent: Perfect Peace
Peace.
What comes to your mind when you think of this word? A solitary lounge chair on a white sandy beach under a palm tree, the waves quietly lapping the shore? A hammock gently swaying in the breeze beside a still lake with a good book? The quiet of a winter forest, boughs drooping under the weight of silent white snow?
Or does peace mean something more abstract and personal?
Webster defines peace as:
- a state of tranquility or quiet.
- freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.
- harmony in personal relations
But what if our circumstances are tragic and chaotic, and we are overcome with heartbreak and sorrow? We each have a deep longing for peace that cannot be met simply with peaceful circumstances or feelings of wellbeing. So where do we find this peace?
The answer lies in Jesus. This advent season, as we prepare to celebrate the first coming of Christ and look forward to His second coming, let’s take a look at what the Scriptures have to say about the true and lasting peace that Jesus brings.
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”
Isaiah 26:3
This verse tells us that perfect peace is found when we keep our minds firmly fixed on God’s Word and character, trusting in who He is. Peace starts with soaking our minds and hearts in the Word. We cannot have deep-rooted and eternal peace when we are looking outside Scripture for solutions to problems, heartaches, and sorrows. All the world can offer is a mirage of peace. If we continually chase after the empty things of this world to find peace, we will only be left with more and more heartache.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
In every situation we face, we are told to bring our requests and petitions—the things we need and desire—to God, in prayer and with thanksgiving. Let’s not gloss over that word “thanksgiving.” God is not a heavenly vending machine, delivering to us whatever we request. Thanksgiving forces us to focus on who God is, and pray in accordance with His character and will as revealed in Scripture. As we bring our requests to Him in gratitude, we often find that God slowly begins to change our hearts from focusing on ourselves and our needs to focusing on Him and desiring His will—knowing that it will be for our greatest good. The promise, this verse tells us, is that peace, beyond the scope of human understanding, will be ours as a protection around our hearts.
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27
“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.”
John 16:33-34
The night before His death, Jesus told His disciples about all the hardships and persecution they would face, but He also reassured them that He was leaving them with a peace that the world cannot give. Troubles will come, but Jesus has overcome them. In Him we find our peace—not in the absence of trouble, but in the midst of it all. Jesus lovingly encourages us not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid. He promises peace as we put our trust in Him.
Last year, I was pregnant with a precious baby girl who was diagnosed with a fatal genetic condition. As I carried her for four months past her diagnosis, I wrestled with what God was doing. Why us? Why her? Would He heal her? Would we lose her? I searched the Scriptures for any promise that would bring peace to my broken heart, and I found God to be faithful and trustworthy, full of compassion and love.
At the moment of her birth, it was obvious that our prayers for earthly healing were not answered. It was as if, in that moment, Jesus knelt beside me and tenderly said,
“Dear heart, I am going to take her home to live in wholeness with Me. Will you willingly entrust your daughter to My arms and give her to me? Will you trust Me in this hour of deep sadness?”
I reflected on all I had come to learn more deeply about my Lord through the previous months as I searched the Scriptures, meditated on God’s character and promises, and with tearful gratitude, brought my requests to Him in prayer. I found that a “peace that passes understanding” settled in my heart and I was able to say through my tears, “Yes, Lord, You may have my precious daughter. I know she will be safe in Your arms, and as You tenderly care for her I know You will be near my broken heart and bind up my wounds.”
My Jesus has overcome the world. I have experienced deep heartbreak and sorrow, but I have also experienced His peace. Jesus came that we might all have eternal peace in Him.
This Advent season, as you reflect on all that the coming of Jesus fulfills for us, may your heart be filled with the deep and lasting peace of Christ.
- Abigail
Hope Mom to Sarabeth Marie
Abigail is mama to her toddler daughter and to Sarabeth who went to be with Jesus seven days after her birth in January 2018. She and her husband Chad live in Berea, KY on the family farm where they raise cattle. In addition to being a stay-at-home-mom and teaching piano part-time, Abigail blogs on Facebook and Instagram at A Healing Gratitude where her desire is to share Sarabeth’s story in a way that highlights the goodness and love of God and how gratitude can lead to greater healing.
We would be honored to share your story as a Hope Mom on our blog. On Saturdays we feature Hope Moms’ stories in order to showcase God’s faithfulness even in the midst of such deep sorrow. If you would like to have your story shared on our blog for this purpose, learn more and submit here.
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