“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 (NLT)
Before Jesus was crucified, He told His disciples that He was leaving us a gift: “peace of mind and heart.” But do you sense that peace every day?
Just because you are given a gift doesn’t mean you enjoy it. Someone could transfer a million dollars into my bank account, but I won’t enjoy that money if I never withdraw it. The same is true with the peace that is in you because of Jesus. It’s there, but you need to know that you can draw from it in stressful times.
You also need to know where this peace comes from. It’s a gift, but you increase your awareness of it by realizing its origin. When you began a relationship with Jesus, you gained His peace because He made everything right between you and God. We call this “faith righteousness”: the belief that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross restored our relationship with God completely.
If you owe somebody something, you are not at peace with that person. Tension is between you. But if the slate is wiped clean, you are free to build a relationship with them. When Jesus died and was raised from the dead, He paid up all your debts. You don’t owe God a thing, no matter how many times you have messed up. Doesn’t knowing that make you breathe a sigh of relief? That’s the peace I’m talking about!
This week, take the peace of Jesus earned for you into every situation. You can draw on it anytime by remembering it is yours.
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