Do you need more peace in your life? I always feel peaceful when I am surrounded by nature. I love being by the water watching it move with the wind or being surrounded by trees and listening to all the birds chirping – away from all the noises of daily life. Unfortunately, the reality is that we can’t escape every day life all the time and we do have to face some difficult circumstances and challenging situations. How then, do we hang on to that PEACE all the time?
The truth is – there is only one way to true, lasting peace – JESUS. It’s not automatic, but everyone has the same opportunity to experience it. It’s not just a matter of believing in God – most people do. It’s not even just believing that Jesus was a man who really existed. The way to that deep down, in your gut, everlasting, constant peace is by choosing to believe that Jesus is God’s son, he lived a perfect, sinless life and then chose to die on the cross to take the punishment for all our sins – every one. For you. For me. Why? Because he loves you that much and wants to spend eternity with you. He could have called on 10,000 angels to save him from the cross, but he chose to sacrifice himself for each of us. And that’s not even the best part – the best part is that he rose from the dead 3 days later and He LIVES today!
2 main things separate Christianity (followers of CHRIST) from other “religions”. One is that we worship a LIVING Lord! Every other religion worships someone who is dead or a statue that was never alive in the first place. The second thing is that most religions say you have to work for your salvation. They say you have to earn it. Make sure your good deeds outnumber your bad ones. Some even say you have to hate or hurt people. That’s NOT right!! There is nothing you can do to earn salvation – an eternal perfect life in Heaven – because it’s a free gift being offered to you. All you have to do is choose to believe, on faith, and accept it.
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
You believe that wind exists right? Yet, you don’t see it – you simply see the effects of it on other things. Well, without any doubt in my mind, I see evidence of Jesus and God every single day.
Accepting these truths, will bring you PEACE. Not a perfect or painless life, but a peaceful one. My life hasn’t been perfect or painless – in fact, there have been many, many heartaches, physical sufferings, trials and hard times. But through it all – I’ve found peace, because I trust in the One who is in control. The one who created the universe, knows the number of hairs on your head, controls the sea, gave the birds their songs, made the bumblebee able to fly, makes a tiny acorn grow into a magnificent oak tree – He is in control and he loves you!
“Therefore, since we have been justified through FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)
We are justified (saved from eternal damnation in Hell) by our FAITH – not our works. That is what bring us an everlasting peace. You don’t have to have all the facts to have faith. You don’t have to have all your questions answered to have faith. Thank goodness, because we never will! I don’t have to understand everything about how something works to believe it’s true. Take the step of faith, and open your heart to letting Jesus into your life. It’s so worth it! YOU are worth it!
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)