Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is…peace.

Does America seem at peace to you? It sure doesn’t to me. Racial division and tension is increasing…the political divide is getting deeper and wider…the separation between the people and the government is worsening…mask don’t mask…vax don’t vax, etc. Our nation is obviously divided but the Church is, as well, and over the same issues…and then some. On a personal level, our family can experience this division, too. How is it in your part of the world?

Peace that arises as a fruit of the Spirit is much like joy—it is not determined by exterior conditions—and we should all be thankful for that. In the original Greek it is the word Eirene, which is the root of the English word serene which conveys the idea of that which is clear and free of storms or unpleasant change, stressing an unclouded and lofty tranquility! Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Can you apply that definition to your current state of affairs from an earthly perspective? Probably not. But then again, most of us don’t really understand what the peace of God really is.

We could say that this peace is a peace of the Spirit, because it is a higher peace than just what comes when everything is calm and settled. This is a peace of God, which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Speaking of the Greek word eirene, the great bible commentator William Barclay said it “means not just freedom from trouble but everything that makes for a man’s highest good. Here it means that tranquility of heart which derives from the all-pervading consciousness that our times are in the hands of God.” Think about that last part for a moment: our times are in the hands of God. Who better to hold the present as well as the future than our loving, patient, just, and compassionate Lord and Savior?

Lots of people I know struggle with the concept of God’s sovereignty…especially when it comes to tragedy and trying times. I always try to point them to God’s character, because when you really understand His Character, it is much easier to rest in His Sovereignty…and that rest is the peace of the Spirit. Everything really will be ok. Sure, there are ups and downs in this life—Jesus guaranteed we would have trouble (Jn 16:33)—but they are all temporary. Additionally, nothing gets wasted in God’s economy (unlike our own!), so rest assured He will use every single thing that happens to us for His Glory as well as our own good…not to mention our pain can become somebody else’s balm (2 Cor 1:3-4).

Again, this is not peace with God, for that was taken care of forever when you became a Believer. Rather, this is the peace of God–experiential peace—which is what Paul prayed for the church to experience time and time again. This peace is manifest as part of the fruit of the Spirit and is not that peace which results from cessation of tribulations and distresses, but is the supernatural calmness of heart, which is independent of circumstances, in part because it arises out of a belief that the sovereign God is with you and in control of the circumstances. As Charles Wesley wrote in a hymn…

I rest beneath the Almighty’s shade,
My griefs expire, my troubles cease;
Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed,
Wilt keep me still in perfect peace.

 Amen and Amen.