Peace Poured Out

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. 

— John 14:27 (ESV)

Opening the windows of heaven, the Lord reaches down and pours out peace from the boundless pitcher of His supply. 

Drops of peace patter down, soaking into our hearts like cleansing rain and preparing us for growth. A river of peace flows through, bringing life along its banks. Tears of peace fill our eyes, healing our hearts and washing our view of the world. 

Let’s look a little closer at these three forms of peace.

gentle rain

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

— Philippians 4:5-7 (NKJV)

There’s one kind of peace that we need to surrender. This is the peace we have before something happens, before pain breaks into our lives and turns everything upside down. We hold on to this peace as we let go of our lives.

It takes deep-seated certainty and trust in God for us to be willing to turn our lives over to Him. And it takes time for our hearts to be prepared, so often this kind of peace comes slowly, like steady drops of rain soaking into the soil of our hearts and softening us to surrender to God’s will.

flowing river

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

— Psalm 46:4 (ESV)

Then there is the peace that comes after we’ve surrendered. There’s this moment after prayer when everything has been said, all the requests have been made and all the burdens laid down, and there’s nothing left to do but be still before God. We trust that He has heard, and He will answer. 

Peace brings joy, because we know that the answer lies in God’s hands, and He is the only one who can bring it about. We don’t have to worry. We don’t have to strive. We have only to wait and trust in faith. Confidence in the Lord strengthens us to stand firm in the battle, trusting that He will fight for us.

Peace like a river is flooding my soul,
Since Christ, my Savior, maketh me whole;
Sweet peace abiding my portion shall be—
Jesus, my Savior, is precious to me.

— Grant Colfax Tullar, “Jesus Is Precious”

falling tears

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

— John 16:33 (NIV)

Every kind of peace that God gives is beautiful, but I believe the most beautiful kind of peace is seen in eyes that shimmer with tears. The peace we hold during hard times is most unlike anything the world has ever seen. It’s easy to have peace when all is well; it’s hard to have peace when all is wrong. During those seasons, when your heart is still, you can know for sure that God is the one upholding you and bringing you through. 

This peace perseveres under pressure, motivated by faith and strengthened by surrender. It comes from knowing you’re right where God has placed you and He is beside you through whatever may come. 

I love what Samantha Cabrera shares about this: “I once thought abiding in Christ meant simply hiding under his wing, untouched by the rest of the world, as though abiding meant hiding. On the contrary, I now realize it’s much more about remaining present in Christ and fixed completely on him through the despairs and woes of life because it’s during these frail happenstances that the testing of our faith comes.”¹  

prayer for peace

Our hearts will never find peace on our own. The peace of the Spirit comes only from the Spirit of peace. So let’s agree in prayer for the Lord to pour His peace over us:

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Lord, as we walk in this world, may we always remember that You are with us. Your presence gives us peace, whatever our circumstances may be. Help us to trust You and look to You for peace. 

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Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

— 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (ESV)

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1.  Samantha Cabrera, The Doctor’s Wife (Texas: Calla Press, 2022), 60.
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