Advent 2025 - Peace

12/07/2025

Mark 4:39 “Peace, be still.”

Today we look at the theme of Peace. When was the last time you felt truly at peace in the midst of chaos? In the Gospel of Mark Jesus speaks three words to the storm: “Peace, be still.” These words reflect a peace that is much deeper than quiet surroundings or temporary calm. Peace, especially in the Advent season, is a God-given wholeness that flows from Christ and extends outward into every part of our lives. We long for this peace—not just the absence of conflict, but tranquility at the core of our being. Yet, in our noisy, anxious world, we often search for peace in achievements, relationships, or possessions, only to find it fleeting.

Today, we turn to the Scriptures to discover the three dimensions of true enduring peace—a peace that is not dependent on our circumstances, but on the unchanging character of God.

The first and most crucial form of peace is peace with God. Before we can experience internal calm or relational harmony, we must settle the conflict between ourselves and our Creator. Although we are perfect spiritual beings, when we indwell a human form, we are subject to immense worldly pressures that oppose God’s laws.  But through Christ, that conflict is over. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This “justification peace” is God’s gracious declaration that we are forgiven and counted righteous—not because of what we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us through faith. It ends guilt, ego-driven unrest, and spiritual separation. This verdict is settled—any conflict with God is finished, and hostility removed. We move from shadow children to children of light, secure eternally by grace.

The second dimension of peace is peace within. Once we have peace with God, we are invited to experience the peace of God within, an inner calm that guards our minds and hearts daily, even when the world around us is chaotic. Philippians 4:6-7 gives us the formula: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Petition here means an urgent, earnest request.

This peace is not emotion or reason alone but a ‘beyond the world’ steadiness that protects the core of our being: our hearts (thoughts, desires, choices) and minds (understanding, reasoning, perception). Jesus in John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Unlike fleeting worldly peace, this peace is enduring and not tied to circumstances.

The third dimension of peace is peace with others. This is the challenging but necessary pursuit of peace with our neighbors, families, and all others on earth. As followers of the Prince of Peace, we are called to be peacemakers in a fractured world. Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” We are called to actively pursue peace through forgiveness, reconciliation, and unselfish love.

The call to relational peace often requires effort, humility, and the willingness to let go of offense. Romans 12:18 teaches, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This verse is deeply practical and realistic. “If it is possible....” It acknowledges that sometimes peace is not achieved because the other person refuses to participate. “...as far as it depends on you...” This is our mandate. We are responsible for our actions and intentions, for loving and forgiving—not controlling others’ responses. We are to be the first to reach out, to initiate forgiveness, practice patience, and extend grace, even when it is difficult or undeserved.

Ephesians 6:15 speaks of the readiness to spread the “gospel of peace.” Our lives are meant to reflect God’s peace. It shines through us as we choose patience over anger, kindness over bitterness, release over attachment, and humility over pride. This peace extends out beyond us, influencing others and revealing the transformative power of God’s love.

Peace grows through a lived practice, not just a feeling. Advent reminds us to cooperate with the peace Christ gives through prayer and Christian meditation—slowly pondering Scripture, turning thoughts or a phrase inward, and yielding to the Spirit’s work in our hearts as it shapes attitudes and choices.

Small acts of order and letting go of chaos – like cleaning a drawer or releasing grudges – bring practical peace. When overwhelmed, a simple prayer: “Peace, be still,” accompanied by a deep breath, invites God’s calmness. “Gods got this,” works well. “Thank You Gods” throughout the day helps us release and feel the peace.

Choosing to release hurts through forgiveness and seeking to restore relationships where possible, allows God’s peace to move from the heart into real human situations. Remember that we cannot control someone else’s participation in forgiveness or reconciliation. But we can forgive them and surround them in the light of God’s love.

Let us begin each day with the intention of having peace, knowing peace, sharing peace. We can pray, “Dearest God, help me open my heart today to receive and share the peace that only Christ can give – a peace that overcomes fear, restores relationships, and brings hope to the world.”

As the inner peace of Christ is nurtured, it naturally expands outward, so that we do not pray only for “peace on earth,” but that peace literally begins with us, and we become a small but real sign of that peace in the world. It begins with our own mental calmness,  

acceptance of loss, transcendence of materialism, and our ability for full emotional experience without disturbance or craving.

It is my prayer that we thank God for the gift of peace and that we are one with Spirit. I pray that we ask for Christ’s peace to guard our anxious hearts today. I pray that Spirit will help us to be peacemakers in our homes and workplaces and reflect God’s love onto a watching and waiting world. I pray God’s peace for you.