Peace of Christ
What I am about to say may shock some of you and may even be deemed controversial. You can’t always make decisions based on what makes you feel peaceful. I’ve heard people say, “I believe God is asking me to do this because I feel peace about it.” Many people follow the path of peace believing that it’s the Holy Spirit leading them. They find out later that it wasn’t God but their own desires. Sometimes the Lord will ask you to do things that you weren’t expecting. Some people don’t walk with the Holy Spirit, yet they blame God if something doesn’t go their way or they are confused why something didn’t work out (especially when they felt peace about it). If you always followed what makes you peaceful you may end up doing things God didn’t ask you to do. You might mistake your comfort zone (peace that originates in your soul) and your own understanding for the peace of God. How important it is to separate your soul from your spirit and follow the Lord’s leading!
Abraham, Gideon, Joseph, Moses, Paul, and many other characters in the Bible obeyed God and walked in the peace of Christ. They may not have felt peaceful about what God asked them to do, but they did it anyway. There is a peace of Christ that we can experience if our hearts are caught up with Him. When we rely on Him for everything, and we honor His word, we will know His voice and we will obey what He says. The above mentioned characters knew the character of God. They trusted His goodness and faithfulness.
Some of you may still be asking, “Is peace never an indicator of God’s guidance?” Let’s look at a few verses.
Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Romans 8:6
For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
From these verses, it is clear that whatever our minds dwell on and what we believe, is what dominates us. For example, if I believe that I am worthless and God wouldn’t love a wretch like me, then my decisions will be in line with this belief. We must renew our mind (soul) with the Word of God. We must allow the Holy Spirit to write His words on our heart. We must get familiar with His voice and be diligent in walking with Him. In doing so we will fulfill His desires and plans, carry His burdens, and continuously yearn for Christlikeness to manifest in and through us. We will not remain selfish and self-centered, but fix our gaze on Jesus, His will, desires and ways.
I’ll say this too, if we are zealous but unwilling to allow God to build us, our zealousness is foolishness. So maybe you fall in the category of people who do read the Bible, pray, and go to church. You want to serve God. But if you don’t allow God to discipline you (his discipline is not punishment, by the way) and His nature to flow through you, then you are still self-reliant and not reliant on His grace. He wants all of us to live by grace alone. When we do this, we will walk in His peace and confidence.
