Fruit of the Spirit; Peace – Part 4

“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

“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). Shortly after the Last Supper, Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for His death. He reminded them of what He had said numerous times, that He would be given over the authorities and be killed. But He was also reminding them to not be afraid because He was not leaving them alone or destitute. Jesus promised peace through “…the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name…” (John 14:26). Again the Holy Spirit is tied to one of the elements in the fruit of the spirit. Peace can be worldly – the absence of conflict. But this is not the peace that the Holy Spirit gives us. The Spirit gives us a heavenly peace which comes only from God. It is “…the peace of God which transcends all understanding…” (Phil 4:7). Like so many gifts from God we cannot comprehend the richness of the gift, we can only wallow in the luxuriousness of the gift. As Kim Gaines Eckert a psychologist and author wrote for the on-line Christianity Today magazine her.menutics, “…I am learning that peace isn’t something we feel; it’s where we are meant to live, in union with Christ.” So if you feel anxious, stressed, on-edge, not able to meet all of your own expectations remember to focus on the love and peace Christ offers you through the Holy Spirit. Then breathe.

Prayer
In a world beset with violence, envy, bigotry, help me Lord, to live in Peace with You in my life and witness. Amen