In Perfect Peace He Will Keep Thee

As I have become more seasoned in age, though I am still rather young, I have come to realize that each person’s definition of peace – what it looks like, feels like, and in some cases, smells like, varies widely. Some people view peace as a lazy morning at home in jammies, sipping coffee (or in my case tea), while deciding to court the day as it comes, sans plan or agenda. Others imagine a sunny day at the beach, riding waves, or scaling that huge mountain that continuously beckons from afar. While yet others dream of a day when every task to which they set their hands flows smoothly to completion allowing them to strike item after item from their to-do lists.

Our expectation of peace also differs. For some, they have become accustomed to a lively home environment, but they expect peace to pervade their work environment. Others expect their home-life to exude tranquility while the outside world rumbles and quakes with burgeoning responsibilities and adventures. And yet others relegate their expectation of peace to the couple of precious hours that they spend at the library, at the movie theater, or on their leisurely stroll throughout the newly constructed shopping mall.

Though we each describe peace differently, true peace, the kind that woos, lingers, and puts down roots in our lives only comes from God. And His definition is the one that ultimately counts.

Consider today’s scripture – You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 NIV

Many of us would define “peace” as calm, gentle environmental conditions that are devoid of struggles, battles, disputes, disagreements, conflicts, chaos, and the like. I know that for a good portion of my life that is exactly what I thought that “peace” was. And because I held onto this somewhat incomplete definition of the word “peace,” you can probably imagine how shocked I was when I accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation and invited Him into my heart and the very struggles and conflicts that I was facing prior to becoming a follower of Christ remained, live and in full color. In fact, it seemed as though the number of challenges that I encountered actually increased in both quantity and quality (in other words, there were substantially more and they were harder and required more effort in order to navigate them).

However, I had no idea that I was attempting to function on a somewhat faulty definition for one of the key promises that God offers to us – His peace. Well, I am sure that you are asking yourself, “Ok. Well, if her original definition of “peace” is faulty, then what would a better definition look like?” I thought that you might ask that, so I came prepared. The Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries defines peace by defining the Hebrew word “shalom,” which “is taken from the root word shalam, which means, ‘to be safe in mind, body, or estate.’ It speaks of completeness, fullness, or a type of wholeness that encourages you to give back — to generously re-pay something in some way.”**

Dictionary.com defines the word steadfast as fixed in direction; steadily directed; firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment; unwavering; firmly established; firmly fixed in place or position.*

Erroneously we human beings often think that the only way that we will have peace is by working for it – orchestrating things and people to ensure that they fit perfectly into our square-peg-and-round-hole plan, lining up just right, and ultimately making us look good. However, today’s scripture does not say that we will keep ourselves in perfect – excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement; exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose; entirely without any flaws, defects, or short comings; accurate, exact, correct in every detail; thorough, complete, utter, and absolute* – peace, it says that You (God) will keep us in perfect peace. We have become so zealous that we have forgotten that keeping us in peace is not our job. Our job is to cause our minds to be focused, stable, and unwavering as we trust – rely on the integrity, strength, surety, and ability of and exhibit confident expectation* – in God.

As we trust in God more and more, we come to realize that peace is not something that we should have, but rather peace should have us. God intends for us to abide in His perfect peace, which He has already given to us (see John 14:27). That abiding is wrapped up in the word keep, which means to hold as one’s own; to hold in a given place, store; to maintain (some action) especially in accords with specific requirements, a promise; to cause to continue in a given position, state, course, or action; to maintain in condition or order, as by care and labor; to hold in custody or under guard; to cause to stay in a particular place, to prevent or restrain from departure; to have the care, charge, or custody of; to guard or protect; to maintain or support; and to take care of.* Whew, that’s a long one! But do you see where I am going with this? God promises to do all of this for us, and in return He asks us to trust Him and remain resolute. And though at times it seems like we bear the biggest brunt of this burden, in all actuality we really do not. Remembering this little, yet huge, fact helps us to keep our life, relationships, and our world in the right perspective as we steadily move toward eternity with the Lover of our souls. Be blessed. #sanguinemango

*Definitions taken from dictionary.com

**https://firm.org.il/learn/the-meaning-of-shalom/