“Be his peace.”

How many of y’all have seen or heard this phrase? Whoever said this first, I see what they might have meant: if you are dating or married, when you’re significant other is going through it, isn’t feeling well, etc., you’re supposed to be the one person they can go back to and feel safe with. The one person who they can be themselves around, who can help refresh their perspective and rejuvenate their soul. Especially in a world full of people who can just d r a i n you.

Dear whoever said this first – I see what you meant. But I don’t fully agree with it. Not to say that you shouldn’t try to encourage your significant other when they are going through a rough time, or that you shouldn’t try to be a peaceful person to come to. But that encouragement shouldn’t be rooted in you…

What is Peace?

The Merrimack-Webster dictionary defines peace as several different things, but here are a couple of the definitions related to what I’m writing about here…

1. “freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions”
2. “harmony in personal relations”

Okay, so according to these definitions, a friend or significant other can totally bring peace to you. Maybe even a thing or activity like your favorite flower, or a walk outside can calm you down. They can free you from “disquieting or oppressive thoughts and emotions,” and you can experience “harmony” within that friendship or relationship, or in that thing/activity.

But what happens when that person is the cause of disrupting your peace sometimes? It can definitely be possible: people aren’t perfect by any means, and can be frustrating to deal with sometimes. And things and activities can cause irritation too, if they aren’t exactly how you want them to be.

Some say you should find peace within yourself, but if you’re like me, I can be just as disruptive to myself as someone else can! 😅 If I am constantly worrying, or dwelling on stressful situations, I cannot bring myself peace either.

With a Capital “P”

I want to replace the “Be his (or her) peace.” statement with this one:

Jesus is Peace.

Yes, with a capital “P,” because ultimately, when our lives are in chaos, when things aren’t going the way we want them to, when people in our lives whom we deemed closest to us cause disruptions to our thoughts and emotions, Jesus is Who we can turn to, Who will provide that indescribable peace that nothing or no one on this earth can even explain.

Several times in the Bible, Jesus encourages His disciples of the Peace that He brings…

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” — John 14:27 (ESV)

When Jesus was describing to the disciples how the world would hate them because they are not of the world, and also that the Holy Spirit would come down on them to help them bear witness to the things they have seen, He encourages them again later in the book of John:

“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33 (ESV)

‭In 1 Peter 5:7, we as Christians are called to “cast all our anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” In one of my favorite passages in Philippians 4, we are called to “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.” (verses 6-7)

I know in the Bible it doesn’t capitalize the word peace, I took some creative liberty with it because Jesus-type Peace isn’t just normal peace. It allows you to feel totally calm when your flesh tells you you need to panic. It urges you to pray instead of continually cycling through the same anxious thoughts over and over again. It encourages you to rest in God, and trust that He sees your situation and how you’re feeling about it, and He is going to handle it in His way, with His will, and in His timing. And knowing all of that, you’re still at peace!

I’m not saying that you can’t say someone or something in your life brings you peace, because they very well may be or do that for you! But, they are not that capital P “Peace” that surpasses understanding, that will never leave you or forsake you. That thing or person that you have in mind when you think of the word “peace” can’t be with you 24/7, they can’t understand your thoughts all the time even if they really want to, and they are going to mess up and maybe even not be your peace sometimes.

I encourage you to, first and foremost, seek out Jesus as your Peace. It not only allows your to rely on Him fully, but it also releases the pressure of yourself or another person to be that for you, knowing that we are all human and cannot get it right all the time.

But Jesus surely can, and He will! 🙌🏽

#MishyWrites 🦋💚