What exactly is true peace? How can we reach it? How do we live it out in our personal lives?
The word peace is mentioned 429 times in the Bible
Let’s first start with Philippians 4:7
Philippians 4:7
New International Version (NIV)
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The word that is used for peace here is a feminine noun. The word that is used is eirere it comes from a possible root verb that means to join. The word eirere itself means the following:
1) a state of national tranquility
a) exemption from the rage and havoc of war
2) peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord
3) security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous)
4) of the Messiah's peace
a) the way that leads to peace (salvation)
5) of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is
6) the blessed state of devout and upright men after death
Source: www.blueletterbible.com
How exactly do we understand peace and how exactly do we work this out? The word peace is used in conjunction with the word understanding four times in the Bible.
Proverbs 11:12
New International Version (NIV)
12 Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense,
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
Proverbs 17:28
New International Version (NIV)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.
and discerning if they hold their tongues.
Obadiah 1:7
King James Version (KJV)
7All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.
And of course the Philippians 4:7 verse
There are three different words that are used in the Bible for the word understanding.
Biyn, nous, and tabuwn
Those three words together basically mean that we should have skill, intelligence, insight, a willingness to be taught, discretion, the ability to judge soberly, calmly and impartially, the ability to reason along a narrow sense, with the capacity for spiritual truth and the ability to recognize goodness and hate evil, and lastly that we train our minds along a particular mode of thinking and judging.
How exactly do we live out this true peace?
Philippians 4:6-9
Philippians 4:6-9
New International Version (NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
How exactly do we not be anxious, you know I cannot really answer that one. I personally have struggled with leaving things at the feet of God. It seems at times that I want to jerk things back and control those things myself. I have struggled with placing my trust fully into His hands.
God says the following:
Psalm 46:10
New International Version (NIV)
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Hebrew word that is translated as still means the following:
) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened
a) (Qal)
1) to sink down
2) to sink, ) to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened
a) (Qal)
1) to sink down
2) to sink, drop
3) to sink, relax, abate
4) to relax, withdraw
b) (Niphal) idle (participle)
c) (Piel) to let drop
d) (Hiphil)
1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake
2) to let go
3) to refrain, let alone
4) to be quiet
drop
3) to sink, relax, abate
4) to relax, withdraw
b) (Niphal) idle (participle)
c) (Piel) to let drop
d) (Hiphil)
1) to let drop, abandon, relax, refrain, forsake
2) to let go
3) to refrain, let alone
4) to be quiet
Is it just my imagination or is God telling us to shut up? Yea actually He is! We are such little complainers. Oh how we want this thing over here and we pray and pray for that thing and then when we don’t get it we get mad stomping our feet or tossing some little temper tantrum and blaming God for not giving us what us a selfish little human wanted. I mean seriously how dare He not give us what we want right? What would we do if God did to us what we do to our children? What if He gave us a time out putting us in some corner of the world? The prophet Job was giving a three day time out in the belly of a whale for running away from God and not doing what God had asked Job to do.
I am not sure that I have fully answered my initial questions that I asked. I hope that what I have written will help someone in their search.
Keep seeking and watching for God’s soon coming.
Well, if we believe we are in the Body of Christ, then unless we are the mouth, we probably need to be living the gospel instead of preaching it. We are not all called to preach. But the Bible says that we should have a testimony ready when asked.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I find a great peace about the last days when I read, "when you see these thing happen, look up for your redemption draweth nigh." Christ gives us courage to look up, at Him... there is where we will find peace.
I think you are right on Reginald. When we are struggling with stresses and wanting to control the world, we need to take a breather and fall on our knees and give everything to God. There alone is peace. Thanks for writing this!