PETER’S PIECE ON PEACE
Peter says, “Do you want more and more of God’s peace?” (II Peter 1:2) That’s a question that most people are asking. How can I find peace? How can I live a life that conquers anxiety and worry?
Peter doesn’t just ask the question, but he gives the answer. He outlines in the next few verses the steps that lead to a life that experiences peace. Here is Peter’s answer:
1. The first step is to “know Him … and He will give you everything you need for living a truly good life.” (II Peter 1:3) There are many philosophies today pointing to the way to have peace. Real peace only comes through knowing Jesus Christ. No Jesus—No Peace; Know Jesus—Know Peace.
2. We will know God better and experience His peace more fully when we follow His instructions. “He promised to save us from the lust and rottenness all around us and give us His own character.” (II Peter 1:4) God’s peace and immoral decadence never go together. Buying into what the world offers negates the possibility of receiving what God freely gives.
3. The next step is to put aside your own desires and let God have His way with you. God wants you “to know what He wants you to do.” (II Peter 1:5) Life consists of making choices. Having peace knows that we win the battle between knowing what we want to do or doing what God wants us to do.
4. “We will become patient and gladly let God have His way with us.” (II Peter 1:6) Peace comes in knowing that God has a plan for our lives and how we can fit into that plan. Stress and anxiety occur when we try to chart our own course for life. “The peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) only occurs when God has His way with us.
5. “The next step is that we discover that we are able to enjoy people and grow to love them deeply.” (II Peter 1:7) Peace is not something that we find in isolation, but rather when we are engaged with people and love others as we would like to be loved. We follow God’s great commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. Loving people gives us peace because it makes us more like Jesus.
6. The next step is that we “grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:9) An interesting thing about peace is that it increases every day as we do more of what Christ has called us to do. We experience more peace as we grow. Failure to grow in God’s grace and peace will diminish our experience with peace.
7. The ultimate step for experiencing God’s peace is how Peter reminds us that “God will open wide the gates of Heaven for you to enter into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:11) God’s peace is for now and for eternity!
You and I have only one life to live. You don’t get a redo. You do get an opportunity to start today by surrendering your life to Jesus, receiving His grace and peace, growing every day in becoming more like Him, and looking to the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Do you have real peace today?
