Everybody Longs for Peace
How could we find peace while living in a world of turmoil,
discord, antagonism and confusion? And how can we avoid weary
conflict, while desperately pursuing all manner of achievement?
In what way can we live in harmony in an environment of complete
disharmony? Where could we turn to in order to experience
tranquility in our heart and mind? Indeed, how can we find rest
in our soul without resorting to drugs of any kind? These are
questions which most of us, consciously or unconsciously, often
pose to ourselves. Is there a realistic answer to them?
Let us turn to the Bible to see if we can find any answers that
make sense to us; any instructions that are realistic and don't
offend our reason.
"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on
the Spirit is life and peace." (Rom. 8: 6) Paul is speaking
about the inner peace, the peace of the soul that passes all
understanding. Such peace is life and comes only when we fix our
mind on the Spirit of God, i.e. when we choose to live according
to spiritual principles. On the contrary, if we set our mind on
the desires of the flesh and the gratification of our senses, we
will never have peace and this will lead to spiritual death,
which causes sickness and even premature physical death.
"Submit to God, and be at peace; in this way good shall come
unto you." (Job 22: 21) Eliphaz, one of Job's three friends,
urges Job to submit to God. He knew that only this way one could
find peace. Submitting to God means adhering to spiritual
precepts and also accepting without bitterness whatever life
brings to you. God is not responsible if things didn't work out
for us as we expected. But if we submit to the Spirit and are
thankful for everything, while, at the same time, searching our
heart to see if, to some extent, we are responsible that things
have gone wrong, then we will find peace even amidst the most
adverse and painful circumstances.
"I will lie down and sleep in peace; for you, alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety." (Psa. 4: 8) Only God can give us the
assurance that we dwell in safety, provided that we put our
trust in him. Then we will have peace even in our sleep! If one
has the right relationship with God, the same fears no evil. He
feels safe in the Lord's presence even though he may walk
through the valley of the shadow of death.
"You shall keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on
you, because he trusts in you." (Isa. 26: 3) The great prophet
Isaiah also confirms that the person who trusts God, whose mind
stays on the Almighty, finds perfect peace. If we lean entirely
upon God, our spirit will be strong, we shall feel totally
secure and find peace in our heart and mind.
"Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make
them stumble." (Psa. 119: 165) David knows from personal
experience that those who love and adhere to the law of God
enjoy great peace. They have a sense of security and nothing can
be a snare or a stumbling block to them.
"Seek peace and pursue it." (Psa. 34: 14b) Peace is something
that does not come to us easily. It is a "commodity" we must
diligently work for. Inner peace, as well as peace with our
neighbors, is to be vigorously sought for and wisely pursued, as
we adhere to God's principles.
"Her (wisdom's) ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are
peace." (Prov. 3: 17) Solomon is talking about the wisdom that
comes from God, the "wisdom from above" (Jam. 3: 17). Such
wisdom brings peace! Wisdom's ways are pleasing, leading people
to true happiness and inner tranquility. Isn't this what man
craves for in life? Indeed wisdom's paths are peace. The person
who is wise avoids entering into strife either with his/her
higher self (conscience) or with others. The same knows the
value of peace and always chooses a peaceful path to solve
internal or external conflicts. How does one obtain this so
precious wisdom that brings peace with it? One way is to ask God
for it in prayer (Jam. 1: 5). In addition to this, one must seek
knowledge and acquire virtues.
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity!" (Psa. 133: 1) The psalmist is speaking about
unity that results in feeling great pleasure with each other's
company and well-being. Lack of quarreling, strife or enmity
does not necessarily mean unity. Sometimes people could live in
"peace" only because they are indifferent or live at a distance
from each other. The good and pleasant unity David praises here
is the unity that makes people yearn to be together. They feel
and behave as true brothers and sisters. They worship God
together, show affection to each other and find delight in
promoting each other's interests. This is the unity that pleases
God, for it is a blessing not just to the "brethren who dwell
together in unity" but to the whole society and even to the
entire world. So great is the positive energy that emanates from
such unity! How good and how pleasant and beneficial for the
society would be if Christians dwelt together in unity! But now,
fragmented as they are, they nullify the central message of
Christ that is LOVE, and instead of being a blessing to the
world, they have often become a cursing, as history proves...
"When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to
be at peace with him." (Prov. 16:7) There are times in the life
of the spiritual pilgrim when he/she has not been able to
reconcile with his/her enemy, although one has done everything
possible in order to be at peace with that person. The other
party is unwilling. In such cases one should commit the matter
to God in prayer and wait patiently. If the Lord is pleased with
one's ways, sooner or later the rock of hatred in the enemy's
heart will be broken and peace will prevail.
"It is an honor for a man to cease from strife; but every fool
will be quarreling." (Prov. 20: 3) Ceasing from strife, and
better not engaging in quarrels at all, is not a sign of
weakness but of wisdom. It saves up precious energy; it
eliminates problems and promotes peace. To let fall one's
weapons, to drop a controversy, to turn the other cheek, for the
sake of peace, is also a sign of strength and it honors man.
Only fools jump into quarrelling without hesitation, thus
creating distress and heartache not only to others but also to
themselves.
"Better is a handful with tranquility than two handfuls with
travail and vexation of spirit." (Ecc. 4: 6) A poor man who has
tranquility in his heart is happier than a rich man with a worn
out and vexed spirit. This does not mean that one should be a
sluggard in order to have serenity. Solomon rather advises
against excessive effort to obtain wealth, as this unavoidably
will create physical strain and mental stress and will steal
one's peace. Envy, greed and extreme ambition is usually what
makes someone a workaholic. However, one should recognize and
respect his/her limitations, as well as one's need for physical
and mental rest. A person should not be exhausted by overwork,
if he/she wants to have peace.
"Therefore love truth and peace." (Zech. 8: 19b) Zechariah ties
together truth and peace. If we want to have inner peace, we
must be honest with ourselves and hearken to the still small
voice of our conscience. And if we want to have peace with
others, we must be honest with them. Falsehood can never be a
sound foundation for peace. Dishonesty creates separation and
strife, but truth promotes peace.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of
God." (Matt. 5: 9) What greater honor could one seek in life
than to be called, 'son of God'? And this noble spiritual title
belongs to all genuine peacemakers. Such is the importance of
peace among men, that God deserves a special blessing for the
peacemakers! However, to be an effective peacemaker, one must
genuinely love and delight in peace. This comes naturally to one
who has first made a true and lasting peace with God within.
Such a person endeavors to live daily according to the Creator's
sovereign laws.
So, before one gets ambitious to become a peacemaker, he/she
should make peace with the Almighty. Many humanist-atheists, who
often show a zeal for peace while raising their fists against
their Creator, do not have the potential of going very far.
Neither those religious leaders who talk much about peace, while
their real motives are selfish, can establish true peace in
society and the world as a whole, never mind if they invoke God
to bless their endeavors. All these are fake peacemakers and
their efforts are ineffective.
"Be at peace with one another." (Mark 9: 50b) Jesus exhorted his
disciples to be at peace with each other. Unfortunately, two
thousand years later, the Christians have not yet hearkened to
his exhortation. It is time that Christians should examine where
the root of their disunity lies. In my opinion, the problem is
primarily due to some Christian doctrines. Christianity, right
from the beginning, instead of being a nursery of LOVE, became
an organized religion of vain doctrines that inflate man's ego
and lead to idolatry, strife, and even wars and atrocities.
"Those who have ears let them hear"...
"And suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with
the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, good will among men'." (Luke 2:
13-14) Peace among men is life! That's why it is the wish and
prayer of angels and the heavenly hosts. War and strife is
death, the father and mother of all evil, and it should be
avoided at any other cost. Peace and good will among men is the
foundation of individual and collective welfare. But peace on
earth will not descend on us from heaven. People must work for
it diligently. If mankind chooses war instead of peace, all the
prayers of the heavenly hosts are not able to avert it. Humans
are responsible for the conditions they create on earth.
Whatever they strive for, this will they surely get.
"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live peacefully
with all men." (Rom. 12: 18) Paul recognizes that sometimes it
is difficult to be at peace with certain people. We cannot be at
peace with someone who wants war with us. It takes two to make
peace. That's why Paul adds 'if it is possible', 'as far as it
depends on you'. If we have done everything in our power but
peace has not been established, then we will have inner
tranquility, knowing that we have earnestly tried.
"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace
and to mutual edification." (Rom. 14: 19) Once again, Paul
exhorts the Romans to make every effort that leads to peace.
Hardly could he suspect that some of his basic doctrines would
cause endless strife and divisions among Christians in the
centuries to come...
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." (1
Cor.14: 33a) Of course, God is not the author of chaos. Nor
could he have been the inspirer of every word of the Bible, when
out of it has come so much confusion and strife among the
believers. Surely God is the author of order and peace.
"Finally, brothers, farewell. Aim for perfection, be cheerful,
be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace
will be with you." (2 Cor. 13: 11) Paul exhorts the Corinthians
to be perfect, cheerful and live in peace. He also urges them to
be of one mind. However we should try to live in peace with
others even when we think differently, which is usually the
case. This way God, who is God of love and peace, will be with
us. And when God is with us, who can be against us?
"Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace." (Eph. 4: 3) Paul's exhortation to Ephesians was also to
do their best in order to keep the unity of the Spirit. Of
course, if the believers are one with the Spirit of God,
naturally they will be one with each other. There is no short
way to go about it. Only spiritual unity will bind all believers
together in peace. Yet, what we see among Christians today is
quite the opposite: Arrogance, strife, rivalry, dissension and
even hatred are the 'fruits' of Christians' separation from the
Spirit of God.
"And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by the
peacemakers." (Jam. 3: 18) Those who practice peace sow the
fruit of righteousness in peaceful ways. One shouldn't try to
preach righteousness in ways that stir up envy, strife and
enmity. The peacemakers, who are called sons of God, have the
sensitivity and the discernment to sow His word peacefully.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the
world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid." (John 14: 27) Jesus was about to
depart from this world and he wanted to comfort his disciples
who would be left alone. So he blessed them by leaving his peace
unto them. If they received it, they wouldn't be afraid, and
their hearts would not be troubled. Unfortunately, the disciples
did not receive this peace immediately. During the most
difficult hours of Jesus on the cross, they were frightened,
scattered around in hiding, and Peter even denied his Master.
What shall we say then? Were Jesus' blessings given in vain?
Not-at-all. But in addition to Jesus' blessings, the disciples
ought to work for inner peace themselves. They should get closer
to God and draw power from his Spirit through their own prayers.
Blessings from a heart full of love are precious; they activate
"angels", and should be given freely to all by all. But they are
more effective and permanent when they are coupled with one's
own diligent efforts. Those who earnestly seek God and submit to
him shall be filled with inner peace, courage and boldness.