Obedient Peace

I've spent a good amount of time pondering over peace. As a poet, much of my poetry questions it, chases after it, triumphs when it's been found, and contemplates its occurrences. As it turns out, it's never far from reach, for true peace comes from within.

Philippians 4:7 refers to "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding." It's a lovely sentiment, and a staple promise to our internal well-being. But how to gain such a thing? Where can it be found? The answer is all at once simple and complex, making it a never-ending pursuit.

Consider these handful of verses from Philippians. Don't read them on the surface, either; consider them deeply, and let them be a transformative experience.

Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

These verses address how to access God's peace quite concisely. And yet, each statement deserves to be meditated on individually, because there's so much to unpack. Peace can't be attained on a whim; it's not a vending machine that automatically dispenses rest; no, it's a change of heart and a full way of living. And, as I've found through the course of this past year, getting to that peace of God and allowing it to guard you requires constant obedience.

Take the act rejoicing. To rejoice leads to the mastery of anxiety, but it needs to be done in every situation--the good, the bad, and the ugly alike. Prayer and petition lead to peace, but that's something we must practice in every situation. To think on all things pure, lovely, and admirable, we must train ours hearts and our minds in every situation. See what I mean about obedience? Whether you are allowing images to rest in your mind, sights to touch your eyes, words to come from your mouth, or behaviors to come from your hands, peace is truly earned within practice. In every situation. Just like everything else in our relationship with God, we can't earn or demand anything. But to work and ask gets us closer to attaining those desires.

Truly, of all the paradoxes of faith, I've found that peace is one of my favorite: the closer you draw to God, the more He provides you, and thus the more you are able to rejoice, pray, think, and behave in a godly manner. After that . . . the peace in your life erupts. And when it comes, it comes from within, regardless of the turbulence of life. Make God a constant to see His fruit multiply. And, after handing yourself over, God--who is rest--will rest in you

I don't think I'll ever be finished pondering over peace. What I am finished with, however, is withholding my obedience, which withholds joy and goodness, which withholds me from God. And in a crazy world such as ours, we truly do need peace in every situation.