Peace must be internal, first.
A peaceful external world can change…
I cannot think of any person who, in the long run, fosters peace in the world around them, yet knows nothing of peace themselves.
But, where does peace come from? Not external circumstances. To be sure, there is some security in having a job, a home, family or friends. But, all those things are changeable. People grow apart. A beloved friend or relative doesn’t reciprocate. Jobs come and go as demand waxes and wanes. Even homes come and go. When I was a child, I naively hoped my childhood home would be my only home.
Now, when I visit, there’s a sense of wistfulness and melancholy, because it is not mine in the same way, even though I am always welcome there.
An inviting meal for my birthday at my family’s house.
Taking things further, on an existential level, it’s hard to find security in the hope of worldly significance. I’ve tried my hand at writing, drawing, singing, public speaking, and teaching–and received some accolades from family, friends, students, and peers, but not fame.
A picture I made for my daughter…
And, even if I attract posthumous fame and my name lives forever, I am chastened in my expectations by how little we really know about Shakespeare, say. Some people even doubt there was one such individual. And this is not a person from antiquity, really.
And, I won’t be alive to enjoy my hypothetical fame, so it’s not much good as a source of peace about my life.
Where Does Peace Come From?
No. There must be some other source of peace. And, I’m afraid it’s rather different than expected (per Philippians 4:5-7):
“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
In one sense, peace stems from “God with us.” When Paul says “The Lord is at hand,” he invokes the mystical. Which, if I’m honest, is a bit unsettling. I want the tangible “likes,” the quantifiable achievements and awards that finally and firmly tell me that I am valuable, that I can have peace with my place in the world. But not really.
Is Christianity just a mystical experience, removed from reality?
Slow and Fast Countries
Let me explain. The country of Paul’s peace seems like a “slow country” compared with the world I inhabit, where everything is in flux, instead of stabilized by practicing the constant awareness of the presence of God. The allusion to a “slow country” is found in Alice in Wonderland, when Alice talks with the Red Queen and explains that running frantically gets you somewhere in her world.
The Queen scoffs. “A slow sort of country!” said the Queen.” Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!” That is peace “as the world gives” (John 14:27), where maintaining the peace places a constant demand on you and your effort just to stay in the same place. By contrast, we have the words of Jesus. “Not as the world gives do I give to you,” Jesus promises, adding “Let not your heart be troubled.”
That frantic chase after peace is not what I want. It’s not where I want to live, even if I sometimes try to dwell in that fast country. The alternative is to “ask of God.” And receive peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).
Beyond Understanding
Unfortunately, I don’t like things that exceed my understanding, but they are so necessary for life. For example: what string of hormones, experiences, flaws, strengths, fears, and hopes led to my love for my wife? I can only guess, and I uncover new layers of understanding as time in our relationship goes on. Yet, life without her seems unfathomable. Why should I be less contented in my relationship with a person of infinite complexity than I am in a relationship with a finite (if wonderful) woman?
Fortunately, not everything is beyond our understanding. Paul continues (Phil.4:8-9):
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
– David Chase
First, recognize: God is with you. Then, contemplate the best things. Lastly, do them. And, God and his peace will be with you.
If I had to summarize this advice, it would be: First, recognize: God is with you. Then, contemplate the best things. Lastly, do them. And, God and his peace will be with you. The peace flows from God, through our thoughts and actions, and returns to the presence of God.
Maybe, this Advent can be different than a wistful longing for a peace that never arrives. Maybe the realization that God is there can turn into tangible actions. You may lose some of the outward signs of success that bring temporary peace, but find tangible–and lasting–actions that bring about peace in the fast country of modern life. That would be a blessed season, indeed.
May that be your experience this advent season.
Dave is a stay-at-home father of two quite busy children that he hopes to expose to a rich variety of experiences, from science, to art, and beyond. In addition, he also is an adjunct instructor in art history with a particular emphasis on engaging students’ modern worldview with the past perspectives of others from around the world, in the hope that such an exploration enriches, challenges, and deepens students’ understanding of themselves and how they are living. In this spirit, he hopes to bring his experience as an educator, scholar, and dad to bear on living in the modern world in light of the teachings of Scripture.
