In John 14:27, Jesus’ words are recorded by the apostle John on the night before His crucifixion,
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Those words resonated with me recently through a conversation I had recently.
It was a rather quiet morning there until I heard several people talking and looked up to see a woman come take a seat right in front of me. She looked disheveled and appeared anxious about her situation. After introducing herself, we began a conversation.
She told me that she still had shopping to do even though it was just three days before Christmas. The woman began to explain what had happened to her over the last couple of months. It seemed that a routine medical procedure revealed she had a very aggressive form of cancer. She went on to explain all the details, including the tests and procedures that she had endured over the last few weeks.
My new acquaintance then told me it was hard to believe she had just retired and thought this would be her first relaxing Christmas with family. Now all that had changed.
We continued talking for awhile, and as it was almost time for her to leave I asked, “Are you at peace with your situation?” The woman teared up and said that she was at peace.
She explained that God had given her peace about her ordeal, and I watched her countenance change as she praised God for the things He was teaching her through her health struggle. It was then God reminded me of what Jesus told his disciples in John 14:27 – and I was witnessing that very promise right in front of me!
The peace Jesus gives comes to us from the inside through having a changed life, whereas the peace the world gives hinges on outside circumstances. The Peace of God had been realized by this woman in the midst of her storm. If you have the peace Jesus describes, fear is replaced by faith, which then allows you to have peace.
Our flesh may still cause us temporary strife as we can’t help but dwell on our situation, but then the peace only Jesus can give shows up!
Someone once told me that “Fear” came knocking at their door, so they asked “Faith” to go answer it and when “Faith” opened the door “Fear” was gone, and “Peace” stood there in its place.
My prayer for you today is that God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
That was my view from my chair at Levine Cancer Infusion Center, Pod B, Chair 28. Blessings!
Irvin Reynolds
