Colossians 3:15,17 Let the peace of Christ control your heart … and be thankful. Whatever you do in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Peace is crucial. Yet, how does one create and maintain personal peace? For many people this means controlling the external circumstances of their lives. Others seek peace by avoidance of conflict through silence or self-imposed ignorance (the less they know, the more they can defer to the opinions of others). We can look through history and marvel that decent people, without the slightest protest, allowed horrific dictators to crush and exterminate others. They were unwilling to jeopardize their personal peace on small matters, so remained silent when crucial matters arose. The total avoidance of conflict is anything but godly. As Irish statesman, Edmund Burke, stated: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Paul wrote, “Let your hearts be controlled by the peace of Christ.” That is a radically different approach. We begin with a peace that is dependent on our relationship with Him, and allow that peace to control our thoughts and emotions. Then in the strength of His calm, we determine a proper and godly response: that is, our words and deeds done in His name guided by peace.
Peace through avoidance or ignorance creates a people who are unprepared to deal with conflicts or to oppose the darkness. In these times of division, insecurity, and unrest, we need the strength that comes from His deep, abiding peace. We need His peace that will transform lives by overcoming our fear, anger, arrogance, and apathy. We need peace that will control our hearts, that we might have the courage to be His voice and His hands in troubling times.