How We Can Truly Strive for Peace

Lush olive branches. A circle with three lines in the middle. A hip oral salutation made to friends or strangers. These symbols and gestures communicate peace. Indeed peace, by its very nature, sounds like a passive state that befalls rather than is chosen. I once bought into that line of thinking, too. I believed the feeling of peace would befall like a fresh spring rain on the willing, repentant Christian. But for peace to be more than “just a wish your heart makes” as Cinderella might say, it must be an intention. I’ve been pondering how we can truly strive for peace.

In 1 Peter 3:11, Jesus’s disciple speaks of how we ought to seek peace and pursue it.” A little light bulb went off in my head as I came across this verse recently. I’m learning that my view of mature Christian living involves unrealistic, highly idealized imagery. For instance, my quiet times are not filled with lightning rods of epiphanies every time I crack open the Word. I don’t hear the audible voice of the Lord when I’m continually agonizing over a yet unanswered prayer. And to be sure, God doesn’t grab me by hand and magically write my books, blogs, and podcasts.

The same is true for the peace of the Lord. It’s more than a handshake or hug in the middle of a worship service. It’s an intention and a discipline. The definition of peace involves freedom from disturbance. It refers to a state or period in which war has ceased or characterizes freedom from civil disorder. It leads to an end to dissension on the part of individuals or groups.

So let’s ponder this convicting question: are you a promoter of peace or a deterrent to establishing it? Though I used to believe peace would simply rest on me like the dove on Jesus’s head at His baptism, I now believe the quest for peace in all our dealings must be entirely proactive. And like any proactive action, cultivating peace requires a specific game plan.

Peace As a Destination

I’m a firm believer in visualizing my destiny. If we adopt God’s long view of our lives, we as Christians internalize the fact that peace will be a part of the New Jerusalem. But peace can also be a part of our daily existence. In Luke 17:20-21, we read of Jesus stating that the “kingdom of God is in the midst” of both Him and His disciples. So a certain measure of that peace is indeed available to us this side of eternity. Of course, Jesus is quick to point out that all peace is “not as the world gives” as recorded in John 14:27. It’s more than a Coke commercial where everyone sings in perfect harmony. God’s peace is decidedly an end goal. But it’s also a daily discipline. We must pray to receive God’s peace in our lives now as we wait for Jesus Christ to return again.

A more appropriate, proactive image of peace I’m nurturing more mindfully now involves me. I’m a pebble in God’s hand. He throws it into the water. A series of rings ripple outward from its point of impact. Nearest is a “family” ring. Another passes beyond it, a community ring. Yet another, a national ring, and another, a global ring. In my ministry, I encounter opportunities to impact those closest to me and others I know in person as well as in virtual “settings” around the world. The destination of each ring will extend out into the body of water indefinitely, changing the face of the surface as well as the movement of the water itself. The peace we pursue and promote can do the same.

Overcoming The Imperfect Peace of The World

You don’t need me to point out the imperfections of our anything but peaceful world to you. I must admit that whenever I see the phrase “peace on Earth” around Christmastime, I sometimes feel a little frustrated. Because this side of eternity we just aren’t going to experience widespread global peace. In fact, we are told as the end approaches that there will be wars and rumors of wars. (Matt. 24:6.) However, I will concede that if we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, we also know that won’t be very widespread either.

Though the geography of widespread world peace is a little faulty here, some measure of earthly peace is attainable. We can experience peace in our hearts when we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. And we can actively promote peace in our spheres of influence in our day-to-day lives. In the little Rhode Islands of our hearts, we embrace, cultivate and promote peace in our states. We can develop strategies to strive for personal and communal peace. But I don’t think we should ever expect our entire world to become more peaceful. Imagining such unrealistic expectations could ever materialize would just set ourselves up for disappointment. So I set my sights on peace as it pertains to me and those I know, conceding reality while still praying the desires of my heart as they line up with God’s.

Pursuing Peace First And Eschewing Conflict

It may sound obvious, but one of the first steps to the pursuit of peace involves our attitudes. We are told in Romans 12:18 that as much as it depends on us, we are to make and keep peace with everyone. This doesn’t mean we are not in positions to disagree or avoid all types of conflict. Instead, we are to ask God for discernment about the appropriate discourse for disagreement, especially in situations where conflict may arise regarding what you might perceive as an ungodly thought or action on the part of someone else. However, sometimes issues arise where people simply find themselves on opposite sides of a fence. That’s when maintaining peace may require us to give up our right to insist on our rightness and just let some things go.

After all, where the rubber really meets the road when it comes to pursuing peace is when you pull up to the table to ingest a little humble pie. Everyone is susceptible to the sin of pride. We must all guard against letting our pride get in the way of living peaceably with others. That’s as true for what transpires under your own roof as it is regarding what happens in your friendships, at the workplace, or in community and church settings. We are told to “speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle and to show perfect courtesy towards all people” in Titus 3:2. Now there’s a lofty goal surely worth trying to attain!

The All-Encompassing Peace From Trusting in God

As we continue to strive for peace, there is another kind of peace that we can expect God to bestow on us. It’s the peace that passes all understanding that Paul speaks of in Philippians 4:7. He reminds us that this peace will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

But even there we have to be proactive in giving our heart to Jesus in the first place. God cannot guard what has yet to be secured. We first commit to God. Once our hearts belong to Him, we are able to gravitate to setting our minds on Him as well. When we focus on those two disciplines, we have every right to expect the arrival of that perfect peace.

Join me in thanking the Holy Spirit in advance for delivering this precious, priceless gift from God. Ponder with me a moment about what that prayer entails. Such a petition works wonders to reinforce how we can truly strive for peace. And not just expect it to magically land at our feet like an Amazon delivery.

Cindy‘s final installment in the three devotion trilogy is now available on Amazon in Kindle or paperback format!
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