In the months following the horse riding injury that left him paralyzed, Christopher Reeves said, “Once you choose hope, anything is possible.” Not all of us will experience a life-altering injury, but we will all endure seasons of hardship that have the potential to steal our peace. It might come in the form of a medical diagnosis, relationship struggles, depression and anxiety, financial problems, or a multitude of other difficulties that haunt the human race.
Jesus wasn’t kidding when he said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b) I have no idea how many times I’ve read this passage, but I know it well. Still, for reasons I don’t fully understand, I am sometimes surprised by trouble.
Jesus made it clear that this world is not an easy place to live. But in spite of the problems the world inevitably brings, Jesus encourages his followers by the promise of his peace. But as I recently reread this passage for the umpteenth time, I noticed something new. Jesus said, “in me you may have peace.” (emphasis mine). According to Jesus, the world has no peace to offer us. If we are going to experience peace in times of trouble, it will come from Jesus. Every other supposed source of peace is a counterfeit. I don’t know about you, but in the middle of a hard season, I have looked for peace in all the wrong places. I’ve been known to hunt for peace through the pursuit of knowledge, through financial stability (as if there is such a thing), in my marriage, and in other people I love. These are all good things, and I count them as blessings, but they aren’t capable of providing the peace Jesus describes.
So that leaves us with the question, “How do I access the peace Jesus spoke of?”
While I’m convinced there is no quick and easy formula, I do believe there are ways we align ourselves in Christ that place us in a posture to receive the peace He promises.
- Meditate on the promises of God. God’s promises remind us of the fact that hard circumstances are temporary. A time is coming on the kingdom calendar when God’s people will experience no more suffering. In this particular season, as I watch my Dad decline from Alzheimer’s I often remind myself that his best days are not behind him. As a Christ follower, Dad’s best days are ahead of him. A time is coming soon when Dad will shed the body that has betrayed him and he will spend eternity in the presence of his Creator. Dad’s suffering will be over and there will be no more tears (Rev 21:4). That’s true for all of God’s people. In times of adversity, God’s promises are lifelines of hope and anticipation. As we remind ourselves of God’s promises, we will experience Christ’s peace.
- Cultivate your relationship with Christ. Recently, I was reading the book of Isaiah and came across the passage that describes Jesus as “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” (Isa 53:3). As we walk through seasons of hardship, who better to guide us that the One acquainted with grief? As we come to know Christ through the study of His Word, we find that He is everything we need. Experiencing Him in a relationship provides us with the peace He describes.
- Keep eternity in mind. I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t focus on eternity as much as I should, and it’s to my peril. My pastor likes to say (and I like to hear him say it), “For every believer, the worst-case future scenario is resurrection and everlasting life in Jesus. In the end, that’s as bad as it can possibly get.” As believers on this side of the cross, we know how the story ends and it’s outrageously good. Knowing how the story ends gives us the peace we need today.
