Anna Dobele
RIGA 1. PARISH MINISTER AND
ARMY CHAPLAIN
LET’S NOT BE AFRAID, BUT LET’S FIND AND CHERISH IN US CHRIST’S PROMISED PEACE.
Peace. Is it possible to speak about it in the 21st century? In time, when rush is one of the most common words and ways how we live our everyday life. We, as humans, rush to do much and many things, but not always we have the feeling that we have accomplished much or done many things. On the contrary, most likely – why didn’t accomplish this and that?
“Peace” is not an antonym for “rush”. Peace is something more deeper and more meaningful for us as humans, especially, if we call ourselves people, who believe- Christians or Followers of Christ. In the New Testament (John 14:27) Jesus Christ promises us his peace. Not peace like we can receive from the World, but much more meaningful. Peace, that does not create fear.
The peace, mentioned by Christ, isn’t an antonym for “rush”. Peace mentioned by Christ, is that kind of peace, as Paul would describe it, is the Fruit of the Spirit. Because peace is the thing that matures in us. How can it mature in a person? In faith. Faith as confidence about things we can’t see yet and reliance (Hebrew 11:1). Peace is a feeling, that everything is gonna be alright, we don’t have to rush somewhere, things will be ok – this confidence and reliance is in us. If we have this confidence, fear, that comes together with rush and unknown, vanishes. Peace is not just a bonus if we believe. Peace makes deeper roots in us and mature as good fruit. We carry it with us. And it is hard for the World to take it away.
Peace is also something that is for our relationships. In relationships with ourselves, others and God. If we take away peace in relationships, if is place for conflicts, fight and misunderstanding. We get hurt and so do others. In a way, only we can take away our peace. If we throw it away, forget about it, other things like fear and doubt are made more important. Do we let the peace in us fade? Or do we want to cherish the peace and allow it to be in us? Only we can answer these question for us. Peace doesn’t mean, that we won’t have any difficulties in our lives. On the contrary, we will face different difficulties, pain, lost. The Beauty in faith is to find the peace Christ has promised us, and that is the thing that won’t let us to give up, to fear, to be unsure. And lets not just keep it to ourselves, but lets testify about it’s works in our life.
