This is the second week of Advent, and last Sunday we lit the candle of peace. Peace, from our human perspective, is an elusive feeling. When we’re busy, distracted, frustrated, depressed, angry, overwhelmed, grieving, or in pain, peace seems unattainable. But the peace Christ offers doesn’t come from any human perspective; it comes from God.
“And the peace of God… will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7).
Anyone in Indiana knows that at this time of year, you don’t leave the house unprepared. You check the weather, make sure there’s gas in the tank, and bundle up before going out. Just a few seconds in the cold and discomfort creeps in. We don’t wait to put on a coat, gloves, and boots; we get ready before we go out.
Yet spiritually, we often step into our day without covering our hearts. We move into conversations, to-do lists, and worries with our minds exposed to the icy winds of anxiety, busyness, and fear. Then we wonder why we feel unprepared and get chilled.
Scripture tells us that peace is not something we “feel.” It’s something, a gift from God, that guards us. It covers, wraps, and protects. But we must choose to put it on and wear it. To pull it around us and hold onto it.
Peace isn’t earned by being strong or by trying to be in control. Peace is received by being willing to be held and by letting go of our desire to dictate terms to God.
What are you feeling anxious about today? Name it before God and say, “Lord, cover me with your peace.” Breathe. Receive.
Prayer: Jesus, Prince of Peace, quiet my anxious thoughts and cover me with your calm. Guard my mind from worry and my heart from fear. Teach me to put on your peace the way I put on a coat—to be ready for the winds of the day, confident that I am held, warmed, and protected by you. Amen.
