Enfolded in God's peace

John 14: 15 - 31

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.

I was pleasantly surprised to bump into an old friend at the supermarket yesterday. He was my cell group leader many years ago and is now a pastor. I heard he had an angioplasty recently and had been waiting for an opportunity to catch up with him. What he described of his experience over the past few weeks can only be described as "being enfolded in the peace of God". The chest discomfort while he was overseas, having to wait two weeks for an earlier flight back, the failed stress test and immediate admission for angiogram and angioplasty. Through it all, he could testify to being kept in the peace of God.

The words in John 14 were a promise from our Lord to his disciples, part of his farewell discourse. He knew they would be thrown into fear and confusion at what was going to happen to him. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit and also very much a gift that we seek. I don't think that the peace described here comes more easily to those with breezy personalities (who see the the "cup half full"), and is in any way more illusive to those who tend to see the "cup half empty". The peace that the world gives can be taught in positive thinking seminars. Such seminars may help people to have a more positive psychological outlook, but such 'peace of mind' does not encompass the wholeness of "shalom", the fruit of the Spirit that Jesus refers to.

I must say that I am sometimes more aware of the trouble and fear in my heart than I am of the peace of God. But I do know that the peace we all long for is one that comes forth from within, like the other fruit of the Spirit. I don't need to go to seminars trying to achieve it. It is an inner peace that will keep me centered even and especially when the external circumstances speak of confusion. This is also the peace I seek in discernment, when I pray, asking the Lord to guide me in making a particular decision. What does this peace feel like? How will I know? These are questions that I once asked my spiritual guide, out of my grasping and analytical mind! I was wisely given no answer, except that I will know when I experience it. The Holy Spirit is promised as our Counsellor, Advocate and Teacher. He is the One who comes alongside us, bearing this gift of inner peace. We receive it as we surrender all that troubles us and causes fear. We can only receive when our hands and hearts are empty and open, when we are willing to let go of our inordinate attachments and make God our all in all.