What IS Peace?

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines peace in this way: "A condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul."  Before we dive into some key ways God provides peace in our lives, let's take a quick look at some of the basic conclusions we can draw from Scripture about peace:

• Peace from enemies was the great desire of Israel and was the gift of God to the people if they walked in His ways.  (Lev. 26:6, Num. 6:26, Ps. 29:11, Isa. 26:12)
• Inward peace was given to the righteous who trusted in God. (Job 22:21, Ps. 4:8 & 85:8, Mal. 2:5)
• Peace was to be sought and followed by the righteous. (Ps. 34:14, Zep. 8:16,19)
• Peace should be a prominent feature of the Messianic times (Isa. 2:4, 9:6)
• The gospel in Christ is a message of peace from God to men. (Luke 2:14, Acts 10:36)
• Peace is to be cherished and followed by Christians. (Mark 9:50, 2 Cor. 13:11)
• God is the “God of Peace” (Rom. 15:33 & 16:20, 2 Thes. 3:16)
• Christ brought spiritual peace from and with God, peace in the heart, and peace as the disposition or spirit.
• Universal and permanent peace can come only as the Spirit of Christ rules all hearts.

It is clear throughout the Bible that God values peace in the lives of his people.  Not only does He provide us with a way to be at peace in relationship to Him through faith in Christ, but he also provides us with peace in our hearts, minds, and bodies by filling us with his Spirit.

The Fight for Peace

As I shared yesterday, however, we are living in a lost and sinful world, surrounded by conflict.  We have been given peace, but we continue to battle for peace as we fight the good fight.  "Freedom from disturbance," can sometimes seem like a distant ideal in our daily lives.

Before becoming a mom, I worked as a counselor & crisis interventionist.  My job, in many ways, was to enter into the chaos of a family that had hit rock bottom and help them to restore peace in their homes.  Often times, that door would open after a suicide threat or attempt by a parent or even a child.  Through my experience, I witnessed first-hand what the complete absence of peace can do to a family.

As a Christian who experiences God's peace in my life every single day, I ache to see those without it come to know Christ and experience real peace for themselves.  I also desire those who do know Christ to experience God's peace as deeply as humanly possible.  I believe there are four practical ways God supplies and cultivates peace in our lives in the midst of our fallen world: His presence, His communication, His consistency, and His Control.

Today we are going to look specifically at His presence.  As we seek to be moms of peace in our homes, let's first explore how we as Christians experience God's peace and then discuss how our children experience similar peace in their relationships with us.

Peace in His Presence  

As believers, we find peace in the truth that God's Spirit is within us and He is always with us.  One of God's most incredible attributes is His omnipotence.  He is in all places at all times.  An all-powerful, all loving, all sovereign God is present in your life.  (Just typing that phrase brought a calmness to my spirit.)

Psalm 46:1-3 rings in my ear: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of trouble.  Though the mountains shake in the heart of the see, though the waters roar and foam, we will not fear."

The God of Peace is ever-present in our lives, providing refuge and strength, calming our fear.  This is a peace promise that we can fully embrace as God's children.  2 Thessalonians 3:16 states: "May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."

He is with us, and can give us peace at all times and in every way.  God created us to be in His presence, to live in relationship with Him, and to do all things for his Glory.  Our most basic hope for peace is to simply be in his presence as we are intended to be.

What does this look like in our daily life? First, I think it's an awareness we must always seek to have that will grow as our faith grows.  We will especially grow in this awareness as we grow in our prayer life.  Persistent prayer provides constant reminders that God is present and in relationship with us.  Our sense of God's presence will also grow as we mature in our knowledge and obedience to God's Word.  As we become more Christ-minded, dwelling on the presence of God will come more easily to us.

As we go on to discuss the parenting sections of this series, keep in mind at all times that our personal peace in and through Christ is most essential in parenting with peace.  As we seek to communicate God's peace to our children effectively, living in God's peace ourselves must be our number one priority.

Peace in Our Presence

Is it any surprise that children experience peace from their earthly parents in many of the same ways God's children experience peace from the Heavenly Father?  Though we can not give our children the peace that only comes through faith in Jesus Christ, we do have the opportunity to cultivate a relationship and environment for our children that will communicate God’s peace to them.

As I studied God's provision of peace in our lives, I was left in awe of the parallels between God's "parenting" and my college text book's recipe for healthy parent/child relationships.  While my books & instructors were coming from secular perspectives, behavioral studies have made it clear that the very basics of a nurturing family relationship are identical to the basics of God's nurturing relationship with His children.

Just as we find peace in God's perfect presence, our children find peace in our imperfect presence.  To our children, there is no source of peace more basic or essential than our simple presence in their lives.  A newborn baby will find no peace like that of a mother's touch, and no sense of distress like that of a mother's absence.  (I still experience a greater sense of peace in my mother's presence!) God created us as relational beings, we yearn for companionship and experience distress when we do not have it. To our young children, we are a primary source of companionship that they yearn for from birth.

Young children can endure trials beyond the imaginable, and do so in a peaceful state simply because their mother or father are with them.  In the event of extreme hardship or trauma, parents simply spending quality time with that child can serve as one of the most effective forms of therapy.  As I worked with families to help restore peace in their lives, the most important recommendation I made to each family was this: Spend time together.

Your child will experience peace in the midst of immense sorrow or pain simply by being in your presence.

Children desire more than our physical presence.

While I know there are many times we can not physically be "with" our children, it is important for us to make the most of the time we do have with them.  This will sound redundant, but please hear this: When you are with your children, BE WITH your children.

Beyond your physical presence, communicating peace and cultivating peace in your family will require your spiritual presence.  Don't just be there for them, be there for them with an eternal purpose!  Be a constant reminder to them of the ultimate source of peace, the Prince of Peace.  Be an example of a Christ-follower who is at peace with God, in God's presence.

Of similar importance, your mental presence is necessary for parenting with peace.  We are living in an age that makes it especially convenient to be physically in our home while our minds are wandering throughout the world via internet, video games, and various forms of electronic communication.  Be aware that children are able to perceive your mental absence from a very young age, and do not be surprised if this form of absence begins to produce signs of neglect from your child. While that may sound harsh, I have witnessed far too many children experience this form of neglect to beat around the bush on this topic.

Your simple, imperfect presence is worth more in your child's environment than anything money could buy. I urge you, as you take steps to grow in your parenting, do what you need to do in order to be intentional with your time together.  If that means locking your cell phone away as you play together, I suggest you do it.  If you are like me and find yourself tempted to use the computer too often, set limits on your screen time and stick to them.  (I only use my computer while children are sleeping or with Daddy.)

As crazy as it may seem, the Lord has entrusted us with little people that view us as the closest thing to a God of peace they will ever find in human form.  As we live to point them toward the savior for ultimate peace, let us do so by simply being present, truly & peacefully present, in their lives.