(I corrected several path problems on August 29, August 30, and September 1, including these selections: Which Version?, Christmas, Images, Body of Christ Discovered, Hymn Midis, KJV Bible, and Spiritual Warfare. Sorry for any problems; please let know if you find others. - Gary)

Peace, Be Still

Scriptures: Psalms 46:10; Mark 4:36-41; Mark 9:50; John 14:27; Philippians 4:11-13

I just returned from an out of town trip with some of my coworkers. Tuesday night we ate at a really good Italian restaurant, with excellent food but so much noise it was difficult to even carry on a conversation. We sat next to the pickup area for the servers, a scene of organized chaos. Some people thrive in this kind of atmosphere, but I find it difficult to truly enjoy the company of others in noisy places.

Though I don't like being alone all the time, I enjoy periods of solitude. As a child I enjoyed going off into the woods by myself, finding a nice shady spot away from all everyone else, and just sitting for long periods doing absolutely nothing. As I matured, I found the companionship of others more enjoyable, but I still liked having time to myself.

Spending time with God is a lot like spending time with our closest friends. If we're in the midst of turmoil, either on the inside or the outside, we can't really share the kind of fellowship with the Lord that he wants, and that we so desperately need. That's why having a daily quiet time, which means just that, is so vitally important in our Christian walk.

Finding a time and place free of external distractions is not always easy, but most of us can manage that task. Far more difficult is quieting the turmoil in our own minds. It's difficult to escape the concerns, tests, and trials of the day, and more so after especially tumultuous days. Just as with joy, though, all of us as Christians can enjoy the kind of inner peace which doesn't depend on the circumstances we face. The Apostle Paul said he had learned to be content no matter what situation he found himself in, good or bad (Philippians 4:11). True peace comes from the knowledge that we belong to Christ, that our sins are forgiven, and that our final destination is assured.

Peace also involves priorities. If we attach the greatest importance to things like jobs, money, or even family, our sense of contentment will depend on how well these areas of our lives are going. As long as things are going well, we can enjoy life and feel at ease. Let something go wrong, though, and we're in turmoil. If our relationship to God comes first, and we have the assurance of our salvation, the most important issue in our lives is already settled. Whatever else happens, nothing anyone can do can snatch us out of Christ's hands.

Like other fruits of the Spirit, peace comes out of our continuing walk with the Lord. As we learn to trust God through trials and bad times, which strengthens our faith, we also learn to be at peace, no matter what the circumstances around us are. Just as Christ calmed the turbulent Sea of Galilee with a word, so he can calm our own inner storms. "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalms 46:10); that stillness comes from the very knowledge of who God is, in Christ.

Satan has counterfeits for peace, just as he does for every other fruit or gift of the spirit. Transcendental meditation (TM) is one of them. Meditation on the Word of God is one of the most vitally important parts of our devotional lives, but meditating by self hypnosis, which is what TM really involves, has nothing to do with God. As a matter of fact, the altered mental state that comes from repeating some phrase, or "mantra" over and over, and emptying the mind of everything else, is an open invitation to demonic bondage. Some Christian teachers (not all) who urge use of such techniques as visualization to get answers to prayers or to build faith come dangerously close to teaching heresies based in pagan religions. The problem with emptying our minds is that they inevitably get filled with something else, often something undesirable.

So, if we don't have peace in our lives as Christians, how do we obtain it? As with so much of what God offers us, peace comes from a relationship, not just from something we do. If we spend time in the Word, both studying and meditating, and in prayer, especially in praise and worship, peace follows. That's another way of saying, "Spend time with Christ." Peace and joy go together; peace is the inward state, and joy the outward expression, of centering our lives in Christ. If God truly holds first place in our lives, we won't have to spend our lives trying to find peace and joy; they will find us.

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Copyright 2008 by Gary W. Cavendish. This article may be freely used so long as due credit is given. For more articles, see the author's website at www.onlinechristianstores.biz. Gary is the author of 4 books, all Christian fiction, and numerous articles. He is a retired Federal employee, grandfather, and webmaster. He is available to write articles for a fee. Contact him at admin@onlinechristianstores.biz.

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