Are we experiencing Jesus’ peace?

Jesus was never rattled, never rushed, never anxious about anything. He slept through the raging storm on the sea (Mark 4:37-38); He didn’t panic at the protest of feeding 5,000 men and their families (Matthew 14:18-21). He didn’t worry about selecting His 12 disciples, the men to whom He would entrust the building of His church, He simply prayed about it (Luke 6:12-13).

Is that a picture of your reaction to the circumstances around you? I wish it were a picture of mine, but like most of you, I’m not always able to rest in Christ and experience His peace. Why is that? Why do we choose to be anxious or worried in the face of stress and pressure? Do we actually think we face more stress than Jesus did? Or do we think He was perfect and set a standard we cannot attain? Or do we just not think about it much? I think it is the latter, and that far too often we give very little thought to our response to life’s circumstances—we simply act or react. Sometimes we simply hang on and endure.

That’s sin and disobedience, for Jesus commanded us not to worry, but to trust in Him (John 14:1). His Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, indwells us to provide His peace and to keep us from all worry—if we are willing to give it up to Him in prayer. And as we do, may He help us to be steady in the eye of the storm, unruffled, and secure in Him, our Prince of Peace.

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