Time to Turn Down the Noise!
Photo image courtesy Pixabay
Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27
My house can be chaotic at times. Children run wildly, using their voices as megaphones and filling every room in the house with small objects they call toys, which are more like miniature grenades. This is usually what my evenings look like. Although my children fill my heart with indescribable joy from the sound of their laughter and voices, there are times when I have to find a hiding spot in my house to block out all the noise. To find some peace from the noise and chaos, I usually have to sneak away and search for it.
If we're honest, there is a lot of noise in our world right now. Turn on the news, scroll through social media for more than two minutes, or walk into your workplace, and you are bombarded with the latest catastrophic event and every side of a political issue. Instead of answers or clarity, we feel overwhelmed, confused, and lost. The world can be a daunting place, and sometimes we wish we could escape it all and exchange the chaos for peace. The fact is, we will never escape the world we live in. Then the question becomes: how do we find peace in a chaotic world?
In John 14:27, prior to His departure to the Cross, Jesus gives His disciples an assuring farewell saying that they can still be at peace despite the chaos and trouble that lie ahead, since the peace He offers is greater than anything the world can give. The world's peace is a peace of escape from trouble and chaos; it's a message of numbing or avoiding pain and suffering as a means to find peace and calm. However, Jesus says that His peace is a peace that isn't a way of escape; instead, it's a peace that comes from Him because He is the Prince of Peace. When He is our peace, we aren't bothered or intimidated by the things that are happening around us. We firmly stand with assurance that God is in control and is at work, even in the midst of chaos.
Friend, you don't have to run or hide to escape the noise or chaos; run to Jesus. He is our storm calmer. No matter how troubled the world may be, we can live in peace and security because of Jesus.
Question for Reflection:
Make a list of the things that are troubling you. Take this list to the Lord in prayer. He promises that He will give us His perfect peace as a result of bringing it all before Him in prayer and thanking Him for His sovereign control.
