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Devotions for your walk with God

Is Peace Possible?

You know the feeling. You've had a disagreement with a friend, and now there's something between you. The friendship is disrupted. You can feel the distance.

Families sometimes experience this sort of distance, too … which feels weird, because the people who ought to be the closest almost feel like enemies. Maybe you've faced this when you've clashed with a brother or sister. Maybe you feel at odds with your parents. Or maybe you've watched your parents drift apart.

And we've all experienced this same sort of disagreement between us and God. That's because all of us "have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Sin had driven a wedge between us and God to the point that the Bible says we were actually his "enemies."

Then God did for us what we must all do for our friends and family members: He took the first step to make peace. The sacrifice of his Son was costly, but, in his mind, it was well worth the price. Our "first step" may not be as costly as God's was, but steps toward making peace almost always involve at least some sacrifice.

Most of us need to take that first step toward making peace with somebody. Maybe it's a friend or a family member. Maybe it's God. Maybe it's yourself.

How do you make peace with yourself? What do you do when you feel a war raging inside you? When you feel your problems are out of your control? How do you calm the inner churning?

Paul, the guy who said, "Do not be anxious about anything," was a prisoner at the time. This man who said the peace of God would calm us was the same guy who had been beaten, ridiculed, disappointed, shipwrecked and starved. So, what was his secret?

He was certain of God's loving concern.

When he was nervous, he prayed. When he was frightened, he prayed. When he was out of money; when friends turned against him; when he was hungry and tired and cold; when he wasn't sure what to do next; when he feared for his life—he prayed.

And, convinced of God's concern, his worries settled down and he felt surrounded by the peace of God.

And this very same peace is yours—for the asking.

From the Word:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything … present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

The Power Pack 60-Day Challenge
In this "Power Pack," we focus on the life-changing power of peace. For the next 60 days, we'd like to challenge you to concentrate on studying some Scripture passages that say a lot about love. Then, after the end of this "60-Day Challenge," we hope you'll be able to say, "I've made progress! I'm learning what it means to experience God's peace."

Read it!
January: The Gospel of Mark
Sometimes when the Bible talks about peace, it uses the word "peace"; it's clear and direct. So it talks about peace with God, peace between people, inward peace. Other times, the idea of peace may be there, but not specifically called "peace."

So read the Gospel of Mark, and look for examples of peacefulness. And be sure to look for these examples even in situations that were full of turmoil.

Divide a piece of notebook paper into three columns: (1) "These People Are Peaceful"; (2) "These People Aren't"; and (3) Why? As you read Mark, put each person you read about in one of the first two columns. In the third column, write a brief sentence on why this person is or is not experiencing peace. Of course, some people will switch from one column to the other. Try to figure out what caused this person to change.

After you finish studying Mark, go over your list of people. Ask yourself:

• What are some of the main reasons these people experienced peace or turmoil?
• From these, what can I apply to my own life?

February: The Epistle to the Ephesians
When Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, one of the things he had on his mind was peace. Again, he didn't always use the word "peace," but the idea shows up time and again—like right in the beginning of the book, when Paul describes our blessings as Christians.

Paul says God "has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." He says God has adopted us "as his sons through Jesus Christ," that we have "redemption through his blood" and "forgiveness of sins." Paul names lots of things that bring us peace.

Read Ephesians a few times and see how many passages you can find about peace. Rewrite one of those passages in your own words—perhaps chapter 2, verses 14-22, or chapter 4, verses 1-5.

As you read Ephesians, ask:

• What causes a person to experience peace?
• What keeps a person from experiencing peace?

Work on It!
Try this: Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). Do you need to make peace with someone? Is there a fight that needs to be ended? An argument that needs to be resolved? Is it with a friend? A brother or sister? A parent? What can you do to bring peace?

Sometimes a youth group needs peace. Maybe people aren't openly fighting, but neither are they coming together as friends. Things like gossip and ridicule spoil the peacefulness in a group. Think about your group. Is there a need to make peace? Why not discuss this with your youth leader? Ask him what you can do to help bring or keep peace.

Want more? If you've found this column helpful, you might be interested in reading the Deeper Devotions Series, also by Jim Long. It's Who You Are That Counts is a study of the Fruit of the Spirit. When Life Gets Tough is based on the book of James. Both are published by Zondervan Publishing House and are available at your local Christian bookstore, or by calling 1-800-727-3480.

Copyright © 1998 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail clmag@CampusLife.net January/February 1998. Page 12

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