Clay in the Hands

If you read the headlines, watch the news or simply leave your home, you know we live in a world filled with anxiety and stress. This stress and worry can take it’s toll on us – physically, emotionally and relationally. If we let it, anxiety can rule our lives. We wrestle with fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of fear. But Jesus came to give us another option.

But understand that peace is not the absence of stress. Jesus’ coming – and our acceptance of him as savior does not remove stress from our lives. In fact, Jesus said, in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  Jesus does not offer to take away the struggle but he does gives us hope to be content and at peace even in the midst of the storm that is life. Jesus offers us a life of tranquility and peace even in the midst of all that swirls around us.

You may be sitting there thinking to yourself, “That makes no sense. If I am overwhelmed by anxiety – worrying about all the things that come at me each and every day – then how can Jesus make a difference? If he is not going to remove the causes of the stress then how can there be peace?”

Jesus came to restore a proper relationship with God. He became human to bridge the gap between God and mankind. His life and death brought the possibility of reconciliation to a broken relationship and a broken world. The level of peace in your life is directly correlated to your proximity to God. (You might want to Tweet that #PrinceofPeace) As long as there is distance between you and the Father, there will be no peace. Peace comes in trusting God with your life – in knowing God is in control and regardless of how hopeless things seem to appear, God only wants the best for you and your life. Julian of Norwich said, “Peace reigns where our Lord reigns.”

This kind of peace makes no human sense. The kind of peace that only Jesus – the Prince of Peace can bring. Paul refers to it as the peace that passes all understanding. He says in Philippians 4, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace that transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy when he said that the coming Messiah would be called the Prince of Peace.

The Prince of Peace has come and in so doing, he has made a way for us to be reconciled to the Father. He never promised to remove our stress and the things in life that bring anxiety. In fact, he let us know that the life of a believer would not be easy. But he has given us an opportunity to have a relationship with God and through that relationship we realize that this life is temporary. His peace is real for believers because we know that our future is secure. So even in the midst of stress, I can stand in peace knowing that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is my savior. He has endured more than I ever will. He understands whatever it is I am going through and he cares for me. There is peace in knowing that no matter how this battle goes, the war has already been won!