Peace and Contentment 

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

   These words of Jesus to His apostles shortly before He ascended into heaven are as applicable to you and me today as they were to His apostles.  In Him there is peace, in Him there is contentment.

   There is a spiritual war being fought within us each and every day.  It is a war between the evil of Satan and the love and peace of Christ.  It can’t be won with conventional weapons; it can only be won by prayer and faith in Christ.  Satan and his version of peace is a lie and will lead only to heartache and destruction.  The peace Jesus offers leads to joy and happiness throughout eternity.

   However, our God is a jealous God, He will not share us with the evils of the world.  If we wish to have the peace Jesus offers we can’t fill our hearts with the ways of the flesh.  We must cleanse our heart and make it a worthy dwelling place for the Savior of the world.

   “In the world you will endure suffering.  But take courage!  I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33)  There will always be troubles and trials in a world stained by sin.  Like most things spiritual, we have a choice granted to us by our free will.  We can ignore the promises of Christ and allow the world to disrupt our peace, living in fear and trepidation or we can accept the peace and calm Jesus offers and live in the hope and promise that He puts within us.