Experiencing Jesus as Peace in a World Full of Affliction
It’s nearly impossible to ignore the many distressing issues confronting us today. While health crises, violence, war, environmental disasters, and economic instability have always existed, because of modern technology, we’re constantly inundated by a continuous stream of anxiety-inducing updates. In the midst of this endless barrage, having anything resembling peace of mind can seem impossible, even for Christians.
But the Bible tells us that even in the face of the world’s trying circumstances, we believers can experience genuine peace. Today, we’ll discover the source of that peace by looking at key verses from the New Testament Recovery Version. We’ll also see how we can experience this peace all the time.
The unique source of peace
The crucial thing we need to realize is that real peace can only be found in the Lord Jesus. Two verses in the Gospel of John reveal that Jesus is the unique source of peace.
1. John 14:27
In John 14:27, Jesus said to His disciples:
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
In this comforting verse, the Lord Jesus told His disciples not to be troubled or afraid because the peace He gives us is His peace.
Jesus makes a contrast here between the peace of the world and His peace. It’s obvious that the peace the world gives is temporary at best. Even the most well-intentioned efforts to establish lasting peace among people and nations fail miserably, leading to more unsolvable problems.
But the peace the Lord Jesus gives us is real and lasting. He said, “My peace I give to you.” Only the Lord’s peace is true peace, and He has imparted it to us. So we shouldn’t let our hearts be troubled or afraid. Instead, we should cling to this precious promise and experience and enjoy His peace.
2. John 16:33
In John 16:33, Jesus said:
“These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
In this verse, we see another contrast. In the world we have affliction, but in Jesus we have peace. Although we have been saved and regenerated, we still live in this world, which is full of turmoil and suffering. But Jesus assures us, “In Me you may have peace.”
Where is peace? It’s in Jesus. Looking for lasting peace in anything or in anyone else is futile. We must come to Jesus to have true peace.
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Enjoying real peace daily
It’s easy for us to get overwhelmed by the many distressing things going on around us in the world today. But one practical way to help us experience the Lord’s peace is to first be aware of what we’re filling ourselves with. The Lord frankly told us that in the world we have affliction. This means when we fill ourselves with the world and the things of the world, our hearts will be troubled and even afraid.
We’ve all experienced feeling this way after we’ve spent time on our phones getting caught up on breaking news, scrolling endlessly on social media, and reading people’s opinions about everything. Being informed about current events is one thing, but being completely absorbed with them is another. More and more, the things we see online are designed to grab our attention and stir up strong emotions, usually negative ones.
When we feel unsettled, disturbed, and fearful, we should realize we’ve been focusing on the world and filling ourselves with the things of the world. In that moment, our need is to turn to the Lord in our spirit and contact Him, the source of peace.
The world is full of affliction, but Jesus also said that He has overcome the world. Instead of spending so much time on our phones occupied with the insurmountable problems of the world, we can focus on Jesus and be filled with the One who has overcome the world. We can do this by calling on His name, singing to Him, talking to Him in prayer, or reading His Word. This is how we can experience and enjoy Him as our real peace.
If you live in the United States, you can order a free copy of the New Testament Recovery Version to help you experience genuine peace in the Lord Jesus.
