The Joy of the Overcoming Peace: Day 26 of Joy
He gives you peace.
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
—John 16:33
We often seek a version of peace that requires a complete absence of trouble. We think, “If I can just resolve this conflict, pay off this bill, or get past this stressful season, then I will finally have peace.” We base our tranquility on our external environment. But a peace that relies on perfect circumstances is fragile, leaving us feeling battered whenever the storms of life pick up. It creates anxiety because we know trouble is always just around the corner.
There is a peace in John 16 that doesn’t need a calm environment to survive. Jesus didn’t promise an escape from the world; He promised an anchor in it. He gives you peace.
Take note of what He said: “so that in me you may have peace.” Jesus then explicitly guarantees that “you will have suffering in this world.” It’s a certainty. But His peace coexists with that suffering. It is based on a finished reality: “I have conquered the world.” You can be carefree about the final outcome of your battles because your Savior has already won the war. His presence inside your storm is enough for the battles ahead.
The 90/10 Rule of the Storm
[read this article to learn more about the 90/10 rule]
The 10%: The guaranteed “suffering” of this world—the daily frictions, the sudden crises, and the ongoing trials that try to steal your composure.
The 90%: The reality that Jesus has already conquered the world. The fact that His permanent, unshakeable peace is available in Him right now.
If you focus on the 10 percent, you will live at the mercy of the wind and the waves. When you give the 90 percent of your attention to the fact that He gives you peace, your soul finds its ultimate anchor. The storm may rage around you, but it cannot get inside you.
Identify the loudest, most chaotic circumstance in your life today. Instead of praying exclusively for God to remove it, ask Him to reveal His presence and strengthen you in the middle of it. Say out loud: “In this world I have trouble, but in Jesus I have peace. He has conquered the world.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I praise You because You are the Prince of Peace. Thank You that the peace You provide is not dependent on my circumstances being perfect. Today, I choose to take courage and rest in the fact that You have already conquered the world. Guard my heart and mind with Your peace today. Amen.
View all messages in the series at: www.faithsaves.us/t/joy-series-faith-saves-us