During the holidays you probably saw and heard the word Peace many times. So much so that you might not of given it a second thought.
I’ve been reflecting on Peace al lot lately and I often think 
The Bible talks about Peace a great deal.
Luke 7:50
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 24:36
[ Jesus Appears to the Disciples ] While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
Acts 10:36
You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Romans 5:1
[ Peace and Joy ] Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
1 Corinthians 1:3
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Numbers 25:12
Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him.
Judges 6:24
So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
- I find it interesting that many believe the Peace sign is meant to be an upside down broken cross
Wikipedia says that Peace is:
- a quality describing a society or a relationship that is operating harmoniously. This is commonly understood as the absence of hostility, or the existence of healthy or newly-healed, safety in matters of social or economic welfare, the acknowledgment of equality and fairness in political relationships and, in world matters, peacetime; a state of being absent of any war or conflict. Reflection on the nature of peace is also bound up with considerations of the causes for its absence or loss. Among these potential causes are: insecurity, social injustice, economic inequality, political and religious radicalism, and acute racism and nationalism.
- Perhaps what is more of interest to me though is Inner Peace
Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being mentally and spiritually at peace, with enough knowledge and understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy homeostasis and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and happiness.
Peace of mind, serenity, and calmness are descriptions of a disposition free from the effects of stress. In some cultures, inner peace is considered a state of consciousness or enlightenment that may be cultivated by various forms of training, such as prayer, meditation, T’ai Chi Ch’uan or yoga, for example. Many spiritual practices refer to this peace as an experience of knowing oneself. Finding inner peace is often associated with traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism.
This past year I’ve noticed that I am more at Peace with myself and the world around me than I ever have been. Even though there have been events this year that have sliced into my Peace their effects have been lessened from what they would have been before.
This is what Peace means to me…
Peace is knowing that your actions reflect the person you are.
Peace is being able to live with the decisions that you make.
Peace is knowing that you did your best, even if your best is different than someone else’s
Peace is being comfortable with who you are and not trying to change that.
For one person it may be standing up for yourself for the first time.
For another it may be letting something slide when you normally would have lashed out.
Peace is something that many promise but it is not something that can be provided by someone else.
Only you can provide yourself with peace.
And to that I say…
Peace
