Peace and Inner Tranquillity

Peace is the physical calmness, contentment, patience and serenity between people, God and people, or within a person themselves; it is life giving, liberating and provides security. Inner tranquillity in the spirit should quiet the agitation and confusion that we sometimes experience. Peace is not just the absence of war, noise or conflict, rather it is focusing on God and His promises, confident that He is in control and lovingly working in all situations for our good.

The Peace of God

"Let the peace of God rule in your heart" (Rom 8:28,35-39; Col 3:15; 2 Thes 3:16; 1 Tim 1:12). "You will keep in perfect peace the person whose mind is steadfast because they trust in you" (Isa 26:3). Having the peace of God is an inner witness of the Holy Spirit in seeking guidance. Jesus is called the Prince of peace, and He gives us a peace which is unaffected by the world's strife (Isa 9:6; Jn 14:27).

One of our responsibilities as believers is to take the presence of Christ wherever we go and release His peace into the situations we encounter. Peace is a quality of God and thus, as a fruit of the Spirit, needs to be developed in our lives and become a hallmark of our lifestyle, as opposed to aggression and disharmony which are works of Satan (Gal 5:19-23). Jesus said, "In the world you will have trouble yet in [Him] we can have peace" — a calming and stabilizing influence (Jn 16:33). "The peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds" as you rejoice in Him, make Him your focus, pray about everything and put into practice His teachings, for to have real peace a person must be in right relationship with God (Phil 4:4-9).

Divine peace dispels natural fear, with the mind controlled by the Spirit, resulting in life and peace while the mind of sinful man brings destruction and death (Jn 20:19; Rom 8:6). "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it" (Ps 34:14; 2 Tim 2:22). "Great peace have those who love your Word, and nothing can make them stumble… There will be glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good" (Ps 119:165; Rom 2:10). "The Kingdom of God is a matter of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men" (Rom 14:17-18). "The God of peace be with you all" (Rom 15:33; 1 Cor 1:3).

When we have peace with God, we will experience the peace of God

Peace in the Will of God

True and lasting peace is found when we surrender our own desires and align our lives with the will of God. Jesus taught us to pray, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Mt 6:10), showing that peace flows from submission to God's purposes. When we trust that His plans for us are good and that He works all things together for our good, we can rest even when circumstances are uncertain (Rom 8:28; Jer 29:11).

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Himself modelled this surrender. Facing unimaginable suffering, He prayed, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Lk 22:42). His peace was not found in avoiding hardship but in yielding to the Father's plan. In the same way, when we offer our lives to God and seek to do His will, He fills us with a peace that is not dependent on our situation but on His presence and promises (Ps 143:10; Rom 12:2).

To have peace in the will of God requires faith — believing that He knows what is best, even when the path ahead is unclear. It means letting go of anxiety about the future and choosing to obey Him one step at a time. "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans" (Prov 16:3). As we walk in obedience and seek His will through prayer, His Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit, we discover that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and He gives rest to our souls (Mt 11:28-30; Jn 7:17).

When we trust God's will, we find a peace the world cannot give

Peace Through Christ's Sacrifice

Jesus by His sacrifice on the cross as our substitute resolved the sin conflict with God — "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Isa 53:5; Rom 5:1; Eph 2:14-15; Col 1:19-20). The angels declared "Peace on earth" at the time of Jesus' birth, although His message would not always create peace for there would be conflict between those who follow Him and those who don't (Mt 10:34-9; Lk 2:14). "The fruit of righteousness will be peace" while "There will be no peace for the wicked" (Isa 32:17, 48:22).

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God" (Mt 5:9). Isaac and his men dug three wells before disputes with the other shepherds stopped, for rather than have a conflict he forfeited the first two wells (Gen 26:17-22). With peacemaking, both parties are winners, while in a conflict there are seldom any winners. To pursue peace requires effort and self-control to overlook offences and surrender personal rights, focusing on issues that unite rather than the differences and irritations that divide (Prov 17:9; 1 Pet 3:11).

Know God, know peace — No God, no peace

We are to "Endeavour to be at peace with everybody, and do what leads to peace" for life is hard enough without creating unnecessary relational problems (Rom 12:18, 14:19). We need wisdom to know when to compromise and give in on issues and when to remain firm, knowing that our responses are not just about our own self and opinions but a matter of integrity and obedience to Bible principles — if these are being challenged — or lovingly confronting believers not walking in truth (1 Tim 2:1-2).

The Power of Peaceful Words

Speaking to the raging sea, Jesus said, "Peace, be still" (Mk 4:39). Our words also have power to either calm or enflame situations (Prov 15:1; Jas 3:5-6). Peacekeeping is the active maintenance of a truce between hostile states or communities. Pacifism is the belief it is wrong to settle disputes by war or violence. Its adherents, often called conscientious objectors, refuse to enlist in the military and take up arms.

Reflection and Application:

Consider areas in your life where you need to exchange agitation for the peace of God by fixing your mind on His promises (Isa 26:3; Phil 4:4-9).
Reflect on whether you are actively releasing Christ's peace into the situations and relationships you encounter each day (Gal 5:19-23).
Examine the power of your words — are they calming and life-giving, or do they enflame and escalate tension? (Prov 15:1; Jas 3:5-6).
Ask yourself whether you are truly surrendered to God's will, or still holding onto your own plans. What would it look like to pray, "Your will be done" in your current circumstances? (Mt 6:10; Lk 22:42).