As a progressive, I believe there are many names for God and many ways to God – this article reflects one of those ways. Take from here what works for you. Celebrate life with joy and peace!
In Galatians 5 there is a list called the Fruit of the Spirit. As we stay connected to God the Spirit of God will grow in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These wonderful qualities are attributes of God. Let’s allow God’s light to shine in us, so that it will nourish the health and maturity of this fruit.
The word for peace that we’re most familiar with in the Bible is from the Hebrew word, Shalom. Paul most likely had the Hebrew concept of Shalom in mind when he listed the “peace” in the fruit of the Spirit. The meaning of Shalom is much broader than the way we usually think about the word “peace.”
We often think of “peace” as meaning:
The absence of conflict, or
Avoiding a problem, or
Appeasing another person (keeping the peace)
These are common misunderstandings of the word “peace.” In fact, peace – as Paul’s using the word is the kind of peace that exists even when there’s conflict in your life, or when you’re having difficulty, or someone’s upset with you. Shalom, or “peace,” means: order, well-being, wholeness, prosperity and salvation.
Let’s talk about three different ways we can understand this peace that Paul’s talking about here.
First, we can think of peace in terms of a spiritual experience. What do I mean by this? Peace with God.
Peace with God, to me, is about understanding that the good news of God’s inclusive love is to all people! That includes you!
It’s about understanding that when “God so loved the world” – that includes you!
It’s about understanding that God created you as you are – you are not a mistake, there’s nothing wrong – you are beautiful, you are God’s child, you are fabulous!
It’s about understanding that we can do nothing to earn God’s love.
Peace with God is understanding that no matter what you’ve been told or have believed in the past Jesus says to you, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Second, peace is also an emotional experience.
My life verse is a verse I always come back to and stand on is part of our reading today. Philippians 4:6-7
I use this verse when I’m praying with people in difficult circumstances. When there’s nothing to say. When they’ve lost a loved one. When tragedy strikes. When it’s just a head-shaker.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
It’s the peace we can have as God’s children – even in very difficult and painful times.
It’s the peace we can have – that we can’t explain – even when we receive bad news.
It’s the peace we can have when someone is trying to get on your last gay nerve!
It’s the peace that comes from knowing that God is in control and has your best interest at heart. As we believe that, it helps calm our restless spirit. Our confidence is now in God and not in our circumstances.
This goes along with the saying that goes something like this:
Small God – big problems
Big God – small problems
Or to use it in a phrase I’ve used often:
“Don’t tell God how big your problem is; tell your problem how big your God is!”
In other words, our perspective of God, our relationship with God, can really shape how we respond to the full range of storms that occur in life.
And third, there’s the relational aspect of peace. Peace with others.
Now, for many people, this is the hardest kind of peace to have. It’s hard to turn the other cheek when our pride kicks in and we want to avoid looking weak in front of another person.
It’s hard to seek reconciliation with someone who’s wronged us and doesn’t seem to even care that they’ve done so. And yet, we’re called to be peacemakers. We’re called to be at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
I don’t know about you, but I can’t do it on my own strength; I look within to the Spirit of God within me. As I stay connected to God the fruit of the Holy Spirit is in me and grows in me. Including the fruit of peace! And patience and self-control! But hang on, that’s in an article coming up in a few weeks. Stay tuned!
I received a gift recently. It’s a tea towel with this phrase: “PEACE: It does not mean to be in a place where there is no NOISE, TROUBLE or HARD WORK. It means to be in the MIDST of those things and still be CALM in YOUR HEART.”
Open your heart up to the awesome love of God for you; this can be a day that you begin to experience peace with God, the peace of God that passes all understanding and peace with others.
May it be so.
Rev. Dan Koeshall is the senior pastor at The Metropolitan Community Church (The Met), 2633 Denver Street, San Diego, California, themetchurch.org. Services every Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m.
