Life doesn’t feel peaceful. The burden of every day crowds out the calm. How do we find the peace amidst the busy, the place of calm in the chaos?
Find peace in our lives
Stresses and responsibilities that we set aside in December, come back to the surface once the holidays are over. Jesus brought peace on earth. How do we find peace in our own lives, especially when any sort of holiday break is over and it’s back to the busy?
Maybe a misplaced ornament can offer some clues.
Peace on earth
I found this year’s wayward ornament. The seasonal stowaway which long after we’d sung “Joy to the World” was still proclaiming “peace on earth” while the rest of the yuletide cheer had been packed away for another year.
The timing wasn’t even close to Christmas. I came across this seasonal symbol a few weeks after the New Year rang in. A small wall-hanging that reads, “Peace on earth.” I found it on the back of a door that I hadn’t closed from the inside since I’d hung the decoration there. Most likely because I didn’t have time to hang out in that room amidst all of the holiday hustle and bustle.
God’s gentle reminder
God’s gifts are always timely. I took this ornament discovery as a sign. In a year of upsets, upside down, we’ve-never-been-through-this-before moments, I was given a gentle reminder on a soft-sewn pillowed banner. “Peace on earth” hanging behind a door, hidden away from view until I ventured into the space that activity had prevented me from entering into until now.
Where we find peace
Is this where we find peace? In a closed room we haven’t entered? In a space we’ve ignored where we don’t often spend time? Does the hurried and the harried hinder us from entering into a posture of peace?
Pressure of deadlines, expectations, and obligations
If you’re anything like me, January’s juggle of responsibilities is in full swing. For me that includes the pressure of deadlines, expectations, and obligations – many self-imposed.
Can you relate?
Jesus meets us in our chaos
We don’t have to wait until we have a moment’s peace to get some quiet. Jesus meets us in our chaos and brings His peace. It’s like we showed up to a potluck empty handed. There’s plenty of food to eat. At the peace banquet, Jesus brings the peace. We don’t have time for a sit-down meal? No problem. Jesus offers peace to go.
“My peace I give you”
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV
How to access Jesus’ peace
How do we access this peace from Jesus?
I found some insight from this unearthed ornament.
This wall hanging proclaiming peace on earth had been silently displayed the whole time. I just hadn’t seen it because I hadn’t remembered it was there or had a reason to enter into the space.
I believe this is like the peace Jesus offers us. It’s always there visible, available, if only we remember to look for it. To remember Jesus already gave it to us, we just need to acknowledge that His peace is there for us.
Connect with Jesus
The easiest way I know to connect with Jesus’ peace is to connect with Jesus Himself.
We can pray to Jesus, “Jesus, please give me your peace in this situation.”
We can linger on the words of Jesus, “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you.” John 14:27a NIV
We can remember the teaching of Jesus, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV
May you hold fast to the promise of Jesus’ peace.
Here’s last year’s stowaway story: