Peace

Peace

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Proverbs 14:30, NIV

This verse displays a contrast that gets our attention—the difference between life and decay, stemming from peace or envy. Throughout the Bible, peace is described as hope, trust, and quiet in the soul that is brought about by reconciliation with God through faith in Christ. Quite the opposite, however, is the picture of envy. To be an envious person is to be discontented, dealing with resentment and unfulfilled yearning.

I recently came across a newspaper article detailing some of the recent scientific studies suggesting that religious faith benefits health. These studies don’t go to God’s Word as their authority, but they rely on data that is demonstrating to the world the truth of what the believer already knows: our personal faith in God through Christ helps us grow in peace. The further we progress in our faith, the more settled we become. This isn’t to say that we don’t ever become sick, encounter serious problems in our families, or have anxious thoughts, but we have an anchor for our souls. When the ship of our life feels as though it’s being tossed about and we’re not sure where we are, it’s comforting to know that whatever happens to us here, we’ll someday be safe in heaven’s harbor with God forever. That’s peace.

Do things in your life feel out of control? Do you lack a compass amidst storms in your life? Jesus came to seek and save people who were lost. Run to him. Run to his Word. To be in relationship with him is to experience peace.

Father,

Thank you that we can experience peace through a relationship with you. Please help us to model your peace in our homes. Amen.