What is peace? Many people think of peace as the absence of problems or conflict. That is true, and in many cases problems or conflict can either be external or internal, or even both. External conflict like wars or civil disturbance affect a lot of people; they deprive communities, cities and countries of peace. In other cases, problems arise when disagreements between persons escalate into anger or hurtful behavior. On the other hand, illness, uncertainty of the future or anxiety causes persons to lose inner peace; it makes them feel unsettled, depraved and very unhappy.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27) What kind of peace was Jesus giving to His disciples?
In the Old Testament, wishing peace to others is a form of blessing. In the Book of Numbers, the LORD said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace! So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27) This blessing has been called the Aaronic blessing, since it is the blessing Aaron gave to the Israelites as he was instructed by the LORD through Moses. At that time, the Israelites were getting ready for war with the occupants of the promised land. Even though they were about to wage war, the Aaronic blessing gave inner peace to the Israelites, which was brought about by the promise of victory and God’s protection.
The kind of peace which Jesus gives to His disciples is indeed a blessing, but not just any blessing; it is a Messianic blessing, one that surpasses the Aaronic blessing because it is peace brought about by the promise of salvation from Jesus the Christ (Messiah). It promises victory not in earthly matters, but over sin and evil desires. It does not guarantee protection from worldly harm, but the promise of eternal life.
Some Christians advise fellow Christians who are going through problems or conflict in life to offer up their suffering to God. That is well and good, but in many situations, that alone may not bring peace to the suffering person, because there is a missing step or two. People need help to understand that in many cases, one has to accept his situation and resolve to alleviate or work out his problem before inner peace can even begin. The thought of “I can do something about it” brings peace to a person’s heart.
Problems or conflict may arise because of a bad decision, it could have been caused by others, or it could just be – to put it succinctly – the way life is. Life can be planned, but it cannot be 100% controlled. A person can blame others, himself or even God, but dwelling on blame actually prevents a person from moving forward. What happened has already happened and no amount of blame or shame can fix it; what really matters is how we deal with it.
That is why the peace that Christ gives is a tremendous help to those who lack peace in life. It helps us to face life with certainty and firm purpose, to live in the world the right way, and to look forward to the life to come. Right before His Passion and Death, Jesus prepared His disciples for what was about to happen. Jesus told them: “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) Those very same words still apply to us today.