SUSAN BENNETT|GUEST

“You can’t keep this” are the last words someone who struggles with hoarding ever wants to hear. If you ever watched one of those reality shows about hoarding, you know that hoarders surround themselves with items, so much so, that they can’t maneuver around their homes. I once knew someone who tried to take control of their life with this activity to her own demise. It caused great ruin to both her physical home and her familial relationships. When God blesses us with material or spiritual gifts, it is always for the benefit of sharing them with others. God never intends for His children to hoard the blessings they receive, especially the gift of His peace.

Biblical Peace

Peace in Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, carries several ideas. Most importantly, completeness and wholeness are related to love and loyalty to God and others, which are at the core of the Gospel of Peace. The Hebrew word for Peace is shalom, which holds this same beautiful idea.

This gift of peace comes to us per God’s counsel from before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:11-12) As with all the good gifts God gives His children (James 1:17), they are as unchanging as He is. His peace is perfect and, therefore, constant and reliable even when our lives are anything but. We can trust God’s peace when war rages out in the world or even at our front door!

Perfect Peace

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusts in You” (Is. 26:3).

Can you hear the hope in this verse? Notice the two actions of God in exchange for the two by man. First, God keeps him, and second, He provides for his peace. And not just any peace but “perfect peace.” I like the ring of perfect peace, don’t you? In this instance, to keep means to guard as with a garrison. God’s keeping of us is serious business. God’s perfect peace is His provision of protection, like a defensive weapon. Wow, a peace that guards like an army of soldiers!

Now, for the actions of man. The Scripture says his mind “stays” on God and “trusts in Him.” To stay means to be fixed or steadfast. Our minds are not straying or being distracted away from God but focused on Him alone because trusting in Him alone is the only solution. Keeping my mind fixed on one thing without becoming distracted is a challenge. I must stop and reorient my thoughts, sometimes even actions, to what I initially set them upon. This is the action implied here.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us that to be anxious is the opposite of peace. Anxiety is referred to by Jerry Bridges as a “respectable sin” in our time and culture.[1] When our hearts are anxious, we must be honest with ourselves, as Moses called the Israelites to be frank with themselves throughout their wilderness journey (Ex. 16:9-12). Anxiety requires a faithful, active response of turning away (repenting) from our anxious heart to a heart and mind (our whole being) that stays on the Lord so that we can rest (trust) in His strength. As Isaiah spoke: “In returning and rest, you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength” (30:15).

Extending Peace

Those who possess this peace inevitably want to share it. That is why those who have received the Gospel of Peace (Eph. 2:13-18) are called peacemakers. Although, at times, it may be hard to imagine giving peace away when you’re battling hostility, fear, and anxiety, it is impossible for “the peace that passes understanding” (Phil. 4:7) to be contained in the heart that has received it.

By His strength, we move forward, living out the peace that is ours through demonstrating it as best as we can or are allowed to with those around us (James 3:17-18). Living at peace with those we love, as the apostles commanded the early church, means, first, remembering God’s Words are unchanging and meant for all His people of every age and time. It is also wise to remember everyone’s situation is unique. With that in mind, let’s help each other by trusting God’s character first and foremost. God is all-knowing and good. These two attributes work together on behalf of those who love Him. Then we can encourage one another by leading each other to places in Scripture where peace has been lived out for us as an example, such as the life of Joseph (Gen. 37-50). Christ Jesus, of course, is our ultimate example (I Tim. 2:5).

Secondly, today’s worldly wisdom, which appeals to hurt or tender feelings, tells us to stay away from anyone who disagrees with us or whose way of thinking is toxic to our mental well-being. If someone does not elevate or promote us and our feelings, we must separate ourselves from them as soon as possible at the expense of peace; we must pursue our best interest. My friend, this is not biblical (see Luke 6:27-49).

Genuine peacemakers do not turn away from those who seek to unseat their steadiness and joy. Instead, we will face the storm as Jesus did and calmly bring hope and life into the chaotic situation (Luke 8:22-25). We do this by speaking with grace (unmerited favor) seasoned with salt (a mineral used to preserve and give flavor) to someone striving with us or someone we love (Col. 4:6). The peace we offer to others may not always be welcomed and received graciously. Nonetheless, we must trust God to use the peace we extend to others as He desires. It is a matter of releasing our desires and submitting to our heavenly Father’s perfect will and timing as we offer His peace as a sacrifice to Him (Rom. 12:1-2).

Have you received God’s peace, my friend? If not, will you turn to Him in faith today, trusting in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be your garrison? If you have God’s peace, how long will you keep hoarding it away, hoping for another remedy to heal that broken relationship in your life? Fear not, my friend. Trust in God’s lavish gift of peace and imitate Him by giving the gift of peace to someone who desperately needs to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8-9) today. Shalom.

[1] Bridges, Jerry, Respectable Sins, (Chapter 8)  2007, Nav Press, Colorado Springs, CO

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash