True Peace

As I read about the Israelites' disobedience in Judges, I can't help but see echoes of my life. Spending years yearning for peace without knowing where to find it. I would quote the verse, "peace that surpasses all understanding," yet I didn't understand what that truly meant.

In church, I used to watch people and see something different in them, something peaceful that surrounded them. Over the years, I've had coffee with older men who carried that kind of peace. One man, now 88 years old, brings a calm presence every time I see him. I never want him to leave, simply because of the peace he carries.

Scripture promised peace. Its words resonated in my memory, yet my life felt anything but peaceful, a conflict between faith and reality. Instead of God's peace, I felt a profound sense of anxiety and disquiet. Instead of praying for a breakthrough, I fought for it with aggression, pride, and performance. I became dogmatic and hyper-spiritual. On the surface, I seemed composed, but inwardly, I was burning with torment.

It was as though I was trying to manufacture peace through behaviour instead of receiving it through surrender.

Inside, I was unravelling, spiritually tormented, mentally exhausted, pretending all was well. The peace I faked eventually turned to frustration, hate, and depression. I would spend time with people, and my heart would soften, but real peace still eluded me. That cycle of pretending, softening, and unrest continued for years.

Even after powerful encounters with God, I struggled to believe. Just like Gideon, I had doubts about His promises, worried if I was chosen, and battled with my self-esteem.

Gideon questioned God's call, asking for signs to confirm he was truly chosen. But after the third sign, he built an altar and named it "The Lord is Peace". Though his tribe was the weakest, and he felt unqualified, Gideon obeyed and encountered peace.

Although a leader, I often felt like Gideon; I felt powerless, self-doubting, and unsettled, far from the promised peace of God.

It took me over twenty years to understand God's peace. I'm still learning, but one thing is clear: peace flows from abiding in God and obedience to Him. Jesus said, "Abide in Me, and I in you… apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:45). Peace grows as we remain close to Him. It flows out of relationship—a deep trust that settles our hearts and reminds us we're not alone. For years, I wasn't doing either. I lived in sin, selfishness, and disobedience. I compromised, believed the world's lies, and searched for peace in all the wrong places.

 But the peace of God comes through surrender, not compromise. 

Gideon's obedience led him into battle, not away from it. Judges 21:25 said, "In those days… everyone did what was right in their own eyes." That didn't bring peace; it brought chaos. The Israelites worshipped idols and continually attacked. In that unrest, God raised Gideon.

Gideon was a man full of doubt from the smallest tribe in Israel. He felt unprepared and inadequate for the task before him, yet God chose him.

Gideon could have kept the peace by getting along with the Midianites. But he chose obedience, and that's when true peace entered his life.

What strikes me is what God said to him: "Surely I will be with you."

Those words changed everything. God's presence would be his peace, and that peace would lead him to victory.

Being obedient paves the path to peace. I've learned this one painstaking step at a time, each new skill building upon the last. Although the path to peace, surpassing all understanding, may be difficult and unpopular, there is no alternative.

Stand firm in Him. Rest in His promises. Let His presence be your calm.

He is your peace.