Finding Peace in Tumultuous Times

The world seems to be falling apart at the seams. The COVID pandemic has exacerbated many underlying tensions throughout the world and brought social divisions, even within households. In South Africa, this was compounded by political unrest that shook an already too-violent country with yet more violence. According to one estimate, 342 people were killed in South Africa in just three days, making these the bloodiest days of our democratic history.

Now more than ever, we need peace. Since our world became a global village, such that we know about wars and unrest on the other side of the world, everyone has been crying out for ‘world peace’ among nations. But the recent upheaval caused by COVID has intensified the need for peace on other levels – inner peace and peace with the people around you. Not only are the nations fighting each other over vaccines and travel restrictions, but friends and even families are deeply divided over COVID-related issues. Meanwhile, the isolation and stress are causing increasing mental health issues. We seem to be in a near perpetual state of war – with each other and with ourselves.

First, let’s get the concept of ‘world peace’ out of the way. The nations of the world have rejected God (Psalm 2) and as a result they will not have real peace. Any version of peace without complete surrender to God and obedience to His will is a false peace that cannot last. In the Old Testament, when God was just about to judge Israel by sending them into captivity for their rebellion against Him, there were many false prophets who told them not to worry. They were crying out “Peace, Peace!” rather than telling people to repent over their sin (Jer. 8:11; Ezek. 13:10). Yet God’s real prophets, like Isaiah and Jeremiah, were saying the opposite: “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:19-21).

Although the nations have rejected God and are not going to turn back to him, this need not be true of individuals. Yet we must still apply the same principle – there can be no real peace in any life for any length of time without repentance. Anyone who proclaims “Peace, Peace!” without calling people to repent is spreading a false message. Throughout God’s Word, peace is linked directly with having a right relationship with Him, known as righteousness, which is maintained by keeping his commands:

Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble. (Ps. 119:165)

My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. (Prov. 3:1-2)

Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:18)

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:17-18)

Consequently, the first critical step towards peace is getting into a right relationship with the Lord. As with the people of Israel, God calls us to repentance – to stop rebelling against Him and surrender to Him as Lord. For the people of Israel, doing so would result in internal rest within their land with no threat of war from surrounding nations. In the same way, by repenting and coming to God we can experience rest within ourselves and be able to make peace with those around us. Today, however, we can have a deep, abiding peace with God that even the most righteous Israelites could only dream of.

Some of those Old Testament prophets knew that a deeper level of peace would come one day, when the Messiah came to earth. Isaiah had possibly the greatest revelation of the Messiah, and he called Him the “Prince of Peace”:

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. (Is 9:6-7)

Isaiah also had some notion of what the Messiah would do in order to make this peace: But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Is 53:5)

This set the stage for the Messiah to come to the earth and make peace between God and man. What Israel did not understand, however, was the nature of the peace that the Messiah was bringing. Similarly to those who wish for ‘world peace’ today, they were thinking in terms of nations and politics, rather than individuals. They thought that the Messiah would bring their nation internal and external peace, mainly by conquering or subduing their enemies. What they did not understand was that there can be no real peace among people without true peace with God. This is what the Messiah – Jesus Christ – came to do.

This is why the angels who heralded Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem could cry out: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” yet Jesus Himself told the Israelites that He did not come to earth to bring peace of the kind that they were looking for (Matt. 10:34; Luke 12:51). Although one day the Lord Jesus will come back to earth to rule and reign, thus establishing a government of true peace (as described in Isaiah 9:6-7), He first had to make the way open for peace between individual people and God. This is what He did on the cross (as described in Isaiah 53:5).

Through Jesus we therefore have the possibility of true peace between each one of us and God Himself (Eph. 2:13-18; Col. 1:19-23). When we repent and turn to Him, God is able to forgive us because of what Jesus did on the cross when He took the penalty of our sin for us (Isaiah 53). Because of this relationship with God, we are able to cast our anxieties, doubts and burdens on Him, rather than try to carry them on our own. Being able to do this generates a real, inner peace even when the world around us is going through tumultuous times.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phill. 4:6-7).

Even Christians can sometimes lose the peace we now have access to, however. As with every other gift our Lord gives us, it cannot be separated from Himself. The link between righteousness and peace has not vanished since the Lord Jesus died for us. He makes us righteous in the first place, thus enabling true peace, but if we stray from His side and sin, we will leave our peace behind. As Jesus told His disciples just before He went to the cross, they would have peace in Him, which would be made possible after His death by the Holy Spirit dwelling in them and creating this beautiful relationship we now enjoy (John 14:25-27).

Christians still live in this world, and we still have sinful tendencies, so there are many things that can draw us away from God and therefore away from His peace. When this happens, we need to do exactly what we did the first time – repent, turn around and come back to our Lord. On a practical level, we can maintain our peace on a day-to-day basis by focusing our minds on Him. Once again, we turn to Isaiah: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. (Is 26:3). In the New Testament, Paul gives us more detail of what it means to keep our minds on Him:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things (Phill. 4:8).

This brings us to the next level of peace we need – peace with those around us. Given our tumultuous times, I bet that you seriously disagree with at least one of the people in your circle of family and friends on at least one topic (COVID vaccine, anyone?). This is further compounded by all the lockdowns that have forced us into isolation, which makes us rely even more on treacherous social media platforms to communicate.

Christians are frequently commanded to pursue peace with those around us, whether they are other Christians or unbelievers (e.g. Rom. 12:18, 14:19; 2 Tim. 2:22; Heb. 12:14). When you pursue something, you don’t just casually accept it if it comes your way: you hunt it down, you try every means at your disposal to get it. This is the attitude we should have towards living peacefully with those around us. Sometimes pursuit is not successful; not everyone will respond positively by making peace with you, but that is no excuse not to try.

Nonetheless, having peace with God first makes the pursuit of peace with others possible from our side. A close relationship with God that brings peace will also change our character, which is known in the New Testament as bearing the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal 5:22-23). When we grow closer to the Lord in our relationship with Him, these things become increasingly part of who we are. By exhibiting these characteristics we will make it much easier for others to be at peace with us, thus giving our pursuit of peace the best possible chances of success.

Perfect peace is thus attainable for anyone, even during these terrible times. If you have not established peace with God, let me urge you to repent and start that relationship through Jesus Christ. If you have a relationship with Him, yet have lost your peace recently, then repent and draw close to Him by focusing your mind on Him. If you have peace with the Lord, but not with others who disagree with you, then it is time to diligently pursue peace with them. In the words of our Lord Jesus:

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said 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.” (John 14:25-27)