Finding peace

What do you think of when you hear the word peace? 

I typically think of quiet and calm. I also think of the universal symbol for peace ☮. Usually, peace is thought of in war times or terms, to be an agreement to end hostilities. Even when we are not in war times we tend to think of peace in terms of living in unity or harmony with our neighbors and friends. 

 Where do we find peace?

I think the answer to this is going to be different for everyone. I usually feel peaceful at the beach or the lake. There is something about standing before the ocean that is a great mental reset and it overpowers everything else, giving me a sense of peace and calm.  However, I do not live at the ocean and do not get to go to the beach very often, so there has to be another way to find peace. 

I am learning to find peace in the daily. I like to wake up before anyone else in the house is up and make my coffee eat my breakfast while I meet with Jesus first thing in the morning. It is literally a come as you are meeting 😂. There is no better way for me to start my day. Remember from a few sentences ago I equate peace with quiet and calm. So, when I am the first one up it is very peaceful and calm in my house and I can meet with Jesus in this environment without interruptions. So, where does my peace come from: Jesus. Without Him, I have no peace.

Being a MAJOR introvert I have also learned that I NEED to take a 20-minute break away from everyone mid-day for more peace and quiet to reset myself to get through the rest of the day. 1 Peter 3:11 (NIV) says we are to "seek peace and pursue it." I was not an English major but I recognize a call to action when I see an action verb...to seek is active, we can't be passive and expect to find peace, we MUST seek it and pursue it!

The word peace is found 249 times in the NIV version of the Bible. When we see something repeated frequently in the Bible like this it means, hello, wake up, get a clue, this is important!! Peace is important. In those 249 times it's used, sometimes it is used in war times, sometimes peace is used in a greeting, other times it is used as a promise.

Just a few instances of peace in the Bible (click on the Bible verse for full reference):

John 16:33-I have told you these things so you may have peace...

Romans 14:9-do what leads to peace...

Romans 15:13-may God fill you with all joy and peace...

How do you define peace? How do you actively seek it? If you are not actively seeking it, what you can do to pursue it?

My prayer for you and me is that God will give us peace that passes all understanding and help us to guard our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:7) against the things that distract and pull us away from a peaceful existence.