Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3 – You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Fear. Disarray. Confusion. Division. Once again, our world seems to be in suspense, not knowing what the next days may bring. The hatred among political parties. The threat of higher tariffs. Economic instability. Will jobs be lost? Will our retirement be postponed? Many plans have been put on hold and barriers between people have been erected. Indeed, the future continues to feel uncertain. Into this dark and depressing environment, the light of God’s Word comes shining in. Can we experience peace during a time of chaos? Yes, we can. Is it possible to enjoy peace when all hell is breaking loose? Yes, it is.

Every good father wants his family to be kept safe. He wants his children to know the security of protection and provision. He wants them to enjoy their childhood without a care in the world. There is no greater protector and provider than our Father God, and He desires all these things for His children. He will preserve us, He will protect us, and He will provide for us. Truly, He is our trustworthy Keeper, who watches over our safety.

Underneath our English word peace, is a Hebrew word which contains multiple levels of meaning and application. Shalom is an ancient and sacred word which defies simple definition and may take volumes to describe its truth. Emphasizing its importance, Hebrew scholars have told us that Shalom is at the center of all words and all ideas. It surrounds us in our coming and in our going. It is the ultimate blessing, the container in which all other blessings are held. Nothing is whole, nothing is perfect unless it is accompanied by peace. Indeed, peace is one of God’s big words, and just as an apple seed contains within itself countless future orchards, so Shalom carries within itself the truth of the whole Bible, it encapsulates God’s heart and intention for mankind. Shalom includes the ideas of safety, security, well-being, prosperity, and rest. One of the best definitions of shalom, comes from Jewish scholar David Baron; nothing missing, nothing broken. Just imagine, friends, if nothing good ever went missing from your life, and nothing valuable was ever broken, how happy, satisfied, and fulfilled would you be?

An art teacher once asked his students to create a picture depicting peace. Some students painted a child sleeping soundly, and some, a small cabin by a babbling brook. Still others, portrayed serene landscapes with rolling hills and crystal-clear lakes, but one student’s picture showed a tree on the edge of a cliff just above the ocean. The sky looked dark and menacing, the wind was raging furiously, and the waves were splashing high against the rocks. The teacher was confused and asked the student to explain how her artwork had portrayed a picture of peace. The student replied that to discover peace in this setting, one must abandon preconceived ideas and look a little closer. Indeed, a closer look revealed that there was hidden deep within the branches of the tree, a tiny bird tucked under its’ mother’s wing, singing away, warm and dry in the nest. That is true peace; it is not the absence of trouble, or danger, or threat, it is living in a state of well-being and contentment, safe and secure in the very middle of the storm.

While it is God’s will for us to live in perfect peace, we have a vital role to play; our mind must be stayed on the Lord. Our thought-life is a key factor and will determine whether we are filled with anxiety or not. We may not have control over the situations we are in, but we do have control over our thoughts, indeed, we are the only ones that do. God, Himself, does not control our thinking for us because that is our domain and responsibility. This is where the struggle is won or lost, in the battlefield of the mind. To gain the upper hand over our attitude and emotions we must regularly read and constantly feed on the Scriptures. We must learn to trust in the One who never changes. We must learn the art and discipline of becoming a non-anxious person. As we practice this, we will begin to recognize which thoughts to keep and which thoughts to reject. Let’s encourage each other, friends, to focus on the promises of our Faithful God and keep our minds stayed on Him, and He will do exactly as He says here: He will keep us in perfect peace!