The Stressless LifeSample

Day Three: Abundant Life—What Is God’s Peace?

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-9, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, 1 Peter 3:10-11

Yesterday, we defined stress as fearful concern experienced when life’s demands seem greater than our ability to meet them. Today, we will look at the meaning of peace and define it as The sense of divine favor arising from confidence in God and your relationship with Him.

The keyword here is divine because we’re talking about God’s peace. We’re not talking about the peace that comes from the absence of conflict. Anyone can feel peaceful when everything is going well and there are no difficulties to struggle through. No, we’re talking about a peace that comes from God—a peace that has its source in God and is sown or grown in us through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.

Have you seen that kind of peace in action? Have you witnessed people who are going through terrible circumstances, yet seem hopeful? Haven’t you wondered how that could be? How can they be so peaceful when everything around them is collapsing?

The answer is, they can’t. Not on their own. They’re exhibiting God’s peace. They’ve been filled with the peace that surpasses all comprehension because they pursue His peace.

Look back at the second part of our definition for peace: it’s the sense of divine favor arising from confidence in God and your relationship with Him. We don’t receive God’s peace because we believe in ourselves or have a good support system. We receive God’s peace when we believe the truth of Scripture that God loves us, knows what’s best for us, and can bring about what’s best in our lives.

That’s critical because it points to the necessity of faith in our pursuit of abundant life. Abraham was a man of great faith. Scripture says he “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Abraham remained confident in God despite his circumstance. He believed God was faithful. That’s why Scripture says that, at the end of his days, “Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people” (Gen. 25:8).

Abraham left this life completely satisfied with God’s blessings, not because of his ability or his mental toughness. No, he was confident in God and confident in his relationship with God. Therefore, Abraham was filled with peace.

Prayers: Father, I’m not Abraham, but I am your child, and I desire a faith like Abraham’s. One that believes You, and in believing, my heart is made ready for more of Your peace. In Jesus’s name, amen.