True peace is not a commodity that can be bought or sold nor can it be regulated, legislated or distributed freely by any government entity. It is not restricted to any particular demographic. Rather, young or old, male and female, all have free access to this unlimited and genuine peace. It can be sought, found and claimed by anyone and everyone. It is a simple choice. Will I or will I not accept the gift of peace that comes from the Giver of peace?                                    

Christmas

Although the Christmas season is behind us, words from some of the Christmas carols I sang and heard still linger in my mind. For instance, Silent Night declares there is a “heavenly peace.” God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen states that we do not have to be dismayed but instead, can rest in “comfort and joy.” It Came Upon the Midnight Clear reminds us of the message heralded by the angels; “Peace on the earth, good will to men.” 

This peace is a gift that is given to anyone who believes in the One who gives the gift. Unlike the pseudo peace that our society advertises, commercializes, and packages, true peace is attached to the Person with whom this peace originates. 

Everyone’s faith is personal and everyone’s personal faith is a journey. My faith journey began more than four decades ago and will continue until my time here on earth expires. If I were to give my faith journey a title it would be “to trust.”

Anyone who has experienced trauma also experiences the difficulty of trust. Counting myself as a member of the suicide survivor camp, as one of those left behind after a loved one leaves by way of suicide, I find it a difficult risk to trust another. To rely on someone else and to believe they have my best in mind requires me to make a choice. Day in and day out, moment by moment, and circumstance by circumstance I get to choose to believe the truth or believe a lie. The truth is, God is trustworthy. The lie is God cannot be trusted. 

Consequently, trust, truth and peace are a package deal. They are all attached and come from an unlimited and incomprehensible source; God. 

Why bother claiming peace? The writers of those Christmas carols who inserted words such as “heavenly peace,” “comfort and joy,” and “peace on the earth, good will to men,” knew from personal experience who they were talking about. Each one of those writers, like you and me, were mere human beings living out their lives of faith. I am grateful they took the time to remind us that in the midst of any circumstance, there is comfort, joy, and peace.