What is peace? How do we obtain it? In John 14:27 Christ says, "Peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." The peace of which He spake refers to the Holy Spirit, which He promised to leave with His disciples when He ascended unto heaven. Therefore, peace comes as we have the companionship of the Holy Spirit. "Not as the world giveth, give I unto you," Jesus says, however. How does the world give peace compared to how our Savior gives peace? Peace by the world's definition comes in the absence of war, the absence of fear, or the absence of any disturbance. Peace from the Savior and the Holy Spirit still exists even when we are surrounded by turmoil or in the midst of war.
There are two ways that I like to picture true peace: The first is based on a story that I heard about a king that called the great artists in the land and said that he would pay for a painting with the best depiction of peace. The painting that he chose in the end was one that showed a calm mother and baby bird in the middle of a huge storm.
The second way that I like to envision peace is by my experiences of sitting outside in my parent's backyard or in nature. Imagine yourself in this situation; The sun is beaming gently, the shade provides relief from the heat, but a warm breeze is blowing. The leaves are rustling, bees are buzzing, and birds are chirping. There are no sounds of vehicles, trains, or planes. It isn't exactly silent, but it's quiet. It is not what is happening externally that makes the situation peaceful but the warmth that I feel inside.
Peace or the lack thereof is not influenced by external forces. The storms of life, the turmoils, illness, war and destruction, and surrounding darkness cannot remove the peace that is within our heart and soul. The peace within us comes from our Savior, Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit and is lasting. When we remember Him and we keep in mind the eternal perspective, that peace that He promised us will stay with us and no external force can take it from us.
