The world would be a better place if peace prevailed more often.  The truth is, the church would be better off as well.  There are three areas where we experience peace as God’s children.  First, we have peace with God.  When one obeys the gospel of Christ, he is justified by faith, resulting in reconciliation with God.   To be reconciled means to have our friendship with God restored which means we now have peace with Him.

Romans 5:1 (ESV)
¹  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

To be justified is to be counted not guilty before God.  This is possible because the thing that alienated us from God, that is, our sins, were washed away by the blood of Christ when we obeyed the gospel, allowing us to reenter a peaceful relationship with Him.  We now have access to all the benefits of being in fellowship with God (Ephesians 1:3).

Secondly, we have the inner peace that comes from knowing that our souls are secure in the hand of God (John 10:29), and that no matter what happens to us in life, we are not alone (Philippians 4:6-7).  God is with us, and He will help us navigate the difficulties of life, whatever they may be.

Having this peace is conditional.  While God gives us this inner tranquility freely, we have to be willing to take it.  So the condition is our willingness to be at peace (Colossians 3:15).  In this passage, Paul said, “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…”  The word “let” means “to give opportunity to, or fail to prevent” (Webster).  We must not prevent the fruit of peace to be displayed in our lives.  People in the world should notice it.  Friends and family members should see it in us.  This is one of the things that sets Christians apart from the world.   We are not overcome by the things of this world because we know it is all temporary.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (ESV)
⁸  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

No matter what transpires in our lives, if we are mindful of God’s Word and the precious promises therein (2 Peter 1:3-4), we will demonstrate the fruit of peace produced by walking after the Spirit.

Finally, we have peace with others.  Even Jews and Gentiles put their troubled past behind them and became brothers and sisters in one body.

Ephesians 2:14-16 (ESV)
¹⁴  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵  by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶  and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Peace with others is not always easy, and sometimes one party or the other makes it impossible (Romans 12:18), but historically, many have put their differences aside due to the gospel of Christ, and enjoyed peaceful fellowship in Christ.

Are you bearing the fruit of peace in your life?  God has given you the resources, the rest is up to you.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.