Is Peace Possible?

“Elusive” was how Pastor Cole described peace in his virtual message one Sunday. 

Spot on, I thought. 

The whole world has always dreamed of peace, but there will never be a day without war. Man has invented symbols for peace, but none has paved the way for global peace. The world will always be in turmoil, until the Lord comes again. 

More than ever, that’s how it is today. 

Many of my friends, relatives of friends, and loved ones who tested positive for Covid-19 had lost the battle.  Daily, we read online about patients hopping from one hospital to another but couldn't be admitted because of full occupancy. Our frontliners are overworked and tired; many of them had joined the casualty statistics. Facebook now seems like an obituary. 

There aren’t enough vaccines, mass testing is not possible, and the lockdown in whatever level of “Q” is causing the uptick of mental health problems (among all ages). Our government operates on a day-to-day basis, depending on numbers. The economy is on its knees. Many of us have lost our jobs and closed our businesses. Book publishing has collapsed. 

We go to bed at night and wake up to a new day asking ourselves, What now? 

Is peace possible? 

What now? must have been the question in the minds of the disciples when the resurrected Jesus was bidding them goodbye on His way to back to heaven. Here they were with the Man, for whom they abandoned their homes, jobs, and all they had, about to leave them. They felt helpless, hopeless, bothered, bewildered—plus more adjectives describing anxiety, which we are similarly experiencing  today as we trudge through the pandemic. 

Peace is "elusive.” 

But Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV)  

"These words are both a promise and a command," our pastor added. Jesus bequeathed to them His peace, which is not how the world defines it. He promised them a personalized, inner, spiritual peace. Then he commanded them not to be individually anxious because His peace will never leave them. 

It is in the command that we need enabling grace. 

For and by ourselves, we cannot attain peace unless we seek it. And finding it depends on the depth of our personal relationship with Jesus. If we focus on Him, only Him (instead of where we are today and tomorrow), He will empower us to have peace.    

Yes, peace is "elusive.” It is possible ONLY if we fix our eyes upon the One who bestows it.