Peace in the Midst of the Storm
Yahweh will give strength to his people. Yahweh will bless his people with peace. — Psalms 29:11
Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. — John 14:27
Author
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
Summary: Storms and tribulations are inevitable, but through them God reveals His character to us, teaches us, and allows us to experience spiritual riches born from His hands. Christ is our hope and our peace: in Him we find rest, comfort, and strength even when everything seems to be falling apart. We must not allow ourselves to be misled by a prosperity gospel, for the Lord warned that there would be affliction; our hope rests in His victory over the world. Divine peace does not depend on our circumstances, nor does it arise from within us, but from Christ. Therefore, in the midst of every inner battle, let us abide in Him, trust in His righteousness, and fix our eyes, our minds, and our confidence on Christ.
What does this title remind you of? A past affliction, a time of trial, or that peace you felt within, which you could barely understand when everything seemed to be crumbling at your feet? How many lives have been ministered to through this beautiful song of praise! But the world cannot understand it, because it is foolishness, because it makes no sense that we should have been touched by adversity, by the loss of something or someone we loved, and yet feel peace—a peace that brings rest, comfort, and hope. Christ is our hope and the divine storehouse of a peace that only those of us who have been reached by His love can enjoy. His love reveals His peace, and that peace enables us to “immerse ourselves in the river of His Spirit” to find stillness of soul in the face of every inner battle.
Storms are inevitable; they are almost a requirement for us to one day be recorded in the Book of Life. They are the deserts we will be prepared to cross if we walk clothed in the whole armor of God. It is in the storm that God reveals His character to us, speaks to us of His holiness, and imparts His most unforgettable and tender teachings. It is there that the trial becomes an expression of spiritual riches that come to us as a gift from His hands to ease our suffering, and where, moreover, we have access to peace in Christ.
The God we worship and love is called the God of peace (Rom. 16:20). His gospel is a gospel of peace because it is proclaimed in the name of the Prince of Peace, who is our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36). That is why we believers must pursue the peace and Shalom of God, a spiritual condition that means not only having rest and harmony with ourselves and with others, but rather sailing on the calm, safe, and prosperous waters that flow from the rock of our salvation, from the incomparable Christ.
Today, unbridled religiosity attempts to present us with a prosperity gospel. New prophets and apostles arise and try to brainwash us with shoddy and despicable messages in order to pervert our minds, confuse us, and rob us of the peace we have in Christ. It is a reality that we cannot underestimate. The Lord did not promise us prosperity at any cost; rather, He warned us that in the world there would be affliction and that His disciples would also be exposed to such a condition. But it is His victory on the cross that gives us hope and grants us peace, because He overcame this world and because peace is in Him—not in us, but in Him. That is why storms fade away when we seek His peace, the peace He left us, which bears no resemblance whatsoever to other kinds of peace.
Brothers and sisters, Christ is our peace, the wall against which every affliction and feeling of sorrow shatters. He is also with us in this condition that we cannot explain. Remember that He overcame the world. If we desire and long for peace, let us trust in God and in His justice. His great power and His incomparable love will be our hope, our strength. We will never be able to avoid tribulations and storms, but with God on our side, we will indeed have the perfect peace that is in Christ. Remain in Him, and He will cause new strength to spring up within you. Fix your eyes, your mind, and your trust on Christ, and He will immerse you in the refreshing river of His peace!
God bless you!