Peace that Stays

God's Presence doesn't always remove the storm, but it gives us the peace to walk through it. In this episode, we will walk through John 14:27 which says, 
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (ESV).

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https://www.cecillevaloria.com

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Transcript

0:01

You know that unsettled feeling you experience when you don't know if you're making the right decision or not, when you make plans, but it is dependent on how things fall into place. Many times in life, we find ourselves moving in that space, a place of restlessness and devoid of peace. Most people think peace is the absence of problems. We say things like, "I just want life to settle down." "Once the situation is over, I'll have peace." "If I knew what was going to happen, I wouldn't worry." In John 14, Jesus bids His disciples farewell. He isn't calming a storm. He's preparing His disciples for one and reassures them, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Welcome to Digging Deep for Treasures podcast. This is Cecille Valoria, a Christian author and a retired teacher. This podcast is to encourage women to grow in their faith and harness the power of the Holy Spirit as we unearth scriptural truths so that we can live a peace-filled life in our fear-prone world. So now sit back, relax, and let's dig deep for treasures in His Word Jesus is in the upper room with his disciples. We read that within hours Judas betrays him. Peter will deny him. The disciples will scatter, and Jesus will be arrested and crucified. Nothing about their circumstances is peaceful, yet Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you." He says this before everything falls apart and not after everything is fixed God often gives peace before He changes circumstances. He did this for me one Saturday morning last May. Several months prior to this, I volunteered to teach flower arranging to the ladies in our women's ministry at church. Everything was ready. Flowers and foliages were Prepped. Vases, shears, and the PowerPoint slides for my presentation were in order. But that Friday at midnight, my husband experienced horrible pain in his leg. He took a warm bath and became dizzy and short of breath. I urged him to go to the ER, but he didn't want to, because he was concerned for my flower arranging class the next day. I finally convinced him, and at 1:00 AM, we headed to the emergency room about 30 minutes away. On that visit, we saw God's miracle in my husband's condition, and after two hours, we were on our way back home. I scrambled to get back to bed and get in a few hours of sleep before my class. This turned out to be impossible. I got to church around 8:45 and barely had 45 minutes to get everything ready before the participants arrived. But praise God, I had a volunteer and two ladies who came early, and by 9:25, we were all set to go. A minute before I welcomed everyone, I got a call from my husband that his vitals were not good. I called 911 to have them check on him, and I asked the 30 ladies in the room if we could start by praying for my husband. One of the ladies volunteered, and not only did she pray for him, but she also prayed for me. God amazingly answered. My husband ended up in the emergency room Throughout the two hours with the ladies, God provided me with so much peace that I was able to teach them as well as even crack jokes. When I arrived at the ER, my husband's condition has already improved significantly, and we were able to go home. 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. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." Notice, Jesus doesn't simply say, "I give peace." He says, "My peace." This is the same peace Jesus lived with. He slept during storms. He wasn't shaken by the crowds He wasn't ruled by fear. Even in Gethsemane, while deeply distressed, he surrendered to the Father's will. Jesus offers his own peace, not a substitute Jesus makes a comparison, not as the world gives. The world's peace depends on circumstances, financial security, good health, approval from others, predictable outcomes, control. When those disappear, peace disappears too. Christ's peace is different. It remains because the source never changes. The world says, "Find peace by controlling your life." Jesus says, "Receive peace by trusting me." Jesus continues, "Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid." This isn't a command to suppress emotions. Jesus isn't saying never feel anxious. Instead, He's inviting His disciples not to let fear become the ruler of their hearts. Our emotions may knock at the door, but we don't have to give them the keys. Fear may speak loudly, but it doesn't have to have the final word. Notice the language. Jesus says, "I leave. I give." Peace isn't earned. It isn't manufactured. It isn't the reward for perfect faith. It's a gift. Like salvation itself, peace begins with receiving. That can be especially comforting for those living with anxiety, and I can relate to that. Some days we think we have to work harder to feel peaceful, but Jesus reminds us that peace begins with Him, not with us. Looking back, I realized God didn't remove the crisis before giving me peace. My husband was still in the emergency room. I still didn't know what would happen next. But Jesus kept His promise. He gave me His peace, not the kind the world offers when everything is going well, but the kind that steadies your heart while you're walking through uncertainty. Peace didn't arrive because life became easier. It came because Jesus became more real In our previous episode, Joshua 1:9 reminds us, "Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you." John 14:27 tells us what God's presence brings, His peace. God's presence produces courage. Jesus' peace steadies our hearts. The courage to move forward and the peace to keep walking come from the same source, God Himself So ask yourself, what am I trying to control in order to feel peaceful? What would it look like today to receive Christ's peace instead? Peace isn't pretending everything is okay. Peace is knowing the one who holds everything together. Father, forgive us and renew our minds from wrongly thinking that peace comes when we are in control of things. Help us to surrender what we are trying to control. Remind us that peace can only come from Him, who is the Prince of Peace, you. We thank you for the peace which surpasses all understanding and we receive this gift of peace. In Jesus' most precious name, amen. Thank you for joining me today on this episode of Digging Deep for Treasures. If you enjoyed it, I'd love for you to subscribe so you don't miss any future ones. Of course, it would be amazing if you leave a rating and a review. This will help more women to find the podcast and grow in their hope and peace. If you're not sure how to leave a rating and review, click on the podcast app you are listening to and look for the rating and reviews option. I'd like to also invite you to join my private Facebook group so we can get to know each other more. It's a great community where we can engage, learn, and grow together. Just hop on to @diggingdeepfortreasures, then enter your name and email, and you will receive an invite for the group. Or you can also connect with me on my website@cecillevaloria.com or at, in my Instagram at @valoriacecille. Thank you once again, and may you have a blessed week. See you in two weeks