The Weekly Word - A Devotion for the Week of September 14
“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
The world teaches us that we can attain peace through the accumulation of wealth, status and power. We tell ourselves, “If I can just reach this amount in my savings account or land this particular job, then I will be content and at peace.” We believe the greater our wealth and the higher our social and professional status, the more content and satisfied we’ll be.
Over time, however, we begin to understand that peace is found not in how many possessions we own or in the strength of our 401k and investment portfolios. Peace is not found in our status in the workplace or our standing in the community. It’s not found in the extent of our authority and power. In fact, the more we have externally, it seems, the more anxious and dissatisfied we often feel on the inside.
Turns out, the world cannot give us true peace of mind and heart, because true peace is found only through our trust in and relationship with Jesus.
Have you ever been in the midst of an extremely challenging situation – perhaps as you’ve faced a difficult diagnosis or walked with a loved one through a terminal illness – and experienced a overwhelming sense of peace and the knowledge that no matter what, all is and will be well? This is the gift of peace Jesus speaks of in these verses: the gift of peace of mind and heart that has the power to quell all fear.
This kind of peace can’t be purchased, earned or produced through our own efforts. It is a gift that only God can give us, and it comes to us when we put our trust in Him.
Gracious God, my instinct is to look to external sources for peace and security, but You remind me that true peace is found only through my relationship with and trust in You. Thank You for the precious gift of peace. Amen.