I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10
It may seem like it is getting more and more difficult to find peace in the midst of chaos surrounding us this year. As we seek to find peace it is important to note that peace is not found in the circumstances of our lives, but rather in the relationship we have with our Savior Jesus. The Bible tells us we are able to find peace through Jesus because He is our Prince of Peace. The title, Prince of Peace, was given to Jesus by the Prophet Isaiah who foretold about the birth of Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 writing, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
In her book, Jesus Today, Enjoying Hope through His Presence, author Sarah Young invites us as readers to imagine being in the presence of Jesus and praying for peace. She uses the following illustration as a way to seek Jesus as our Prince of Peace.
“Learn to live from a place of resting in Me. Since I – the Prince of Peace – am both with and within you, you can choose to live from this peaceful place of union with Me. This enables you to stay calm in the midst of stressful situations, by re-centering yourself in Me. We can deal with your problems together – you and I – so there is no need to panic. However, the more difficult your circumstances, the more tempting it is for you to shift into high gear and forget My peaceful presence.”
It is easy to get distracted by the talking heads on the nightly news, by the posts found on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets. When this happens and the world gets us down as Satan comes to steal our peace, I pray we may turn to Jesus and realize we have, as Sarah suggests, wandered from our place of Peace with Jesus. When this happens, instead of becoming frustrated I pray we can return to Jesus immediately and cry out to Him, for in so doing we are able to reconnect with Jesus who comes to help us feel safe.
I agree with Sarah that often when chaos and uncertainty comes we look inward for answers instead of looking upward toward heaven and Jesus. It is tempting to ask, wonder, doubt, God’s faithfulness and His promises when the world seems to be out of control, but as Sarah suggests in her devotional, Jesus is the true source of peace in the midst of all types of adversity.
So as Sarah writes,
“Don’t be discouraged by how often you wander from Me. You are endeavoring to form a new habit, and this takes time plus persistent effort. The rewards, though, are well worth your efforts. The more you return to Me – to our resting place – the more peaceful and joyful your life will be.”
Pastor Susan Westland
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church