The world often views peace as the absence of quarreling, tension, and division. We think of the ending of wars, the cessation of conflict, and the coming to terms. We overlook the possibility of peace amidst conflict. God’s peace is an integral part of who we are, not only a means of comfort or resolution. The word “peace” in Hebrew is “shalom”, meaning “wholeness, completeness, prosperity, and harmony.” Peace that is shalom is the inward sense of the wholeness that God has always intended for creation. It is interwoven throughout the stories of God and the people of God, at the heart of the whole picture of God’s love and redemption.

From the beginning, just after the dawn of Creation, we see a shattering of peace. We see the conflict of humanity against itself and God. The balance of creation shifted with the choice to elevate the individual over the collective. The separation of Eve and Adam from one another and God becomes the discordance of a complete and good creation–fracturing the relationship between humanity and God. The rest of scripture presents a trajectory toward being made whole again as the narrative reveals more and more fragments that will one day be put back together, restored in full. Restored back to the God who loved us from the very beginning. The harsh notes of individuals striving for power cannot drown out the steady rhythm of God working toward renewal, bringing the world back into tune–into harmony.

Peace exists even when there is no resolution to be found. When we embrace the peace that God gives, it supersedes the conflict that the world gives. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). When we embrace “the peace of God”, we can find comfort, strength, and even protection for our hearts and minds. Peace is what guards us because it is rooted in the promise of life with God. Our hearts and our minds can find rest in knowing that the God who loves us, ultimately completes us through forgiveness. The parts of us we fear are lacking are enough. The shattered pieces we deem too far gone are reconstituted into the full picture that is painted in grace and refined in love. The promise of Shalom is interlaced through the stories of broken people, broken pieces that would one day be part of the whole picture.

This peace is embracing who we are in Jesus as God’s completed creation restored back to our relationship and future with God. Embracing shalom—embracing peace—means embracing ourselves as whole; it is stepping into the completeness our Creator intends for us. From the fractured relationship in the garden, the pieces come back together into fulfilment with Jesus—the ultimate peace that completes us. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

The world often views peace as the absence of quarreling, tension, and division. We think of the ending of wars, the cessation of conflict, and the coming to terms. We overlook the possibility of peace amidst conflict. God’s peace is an integral part of who we are, not only a means of comfort or resolution. The word “peace” in Hebrew is “shalom”, meaning “wholeness, completeness, prosperity, and harmony.” Peace that is shalom is the inward sense of the wholeness that God has always intended for creation. It is interwoven throughout the stories of God and the people of God, at the heart of the whole picture of God’s love and redemption.

From the beginning, just after the dawn of Creation, we see a shattering of peace. We see the conflict of humanity against itself and God. The balance of creation shifted with the choice to elevate the individual over the collective. The separation of Eve and Adam from one another and God becomes the discordance of a complete and good creation–fracturing the relationship between humanity and God. The rest of scripture presents a trajectory toward being made whole again as the narrative reveals more and more fragments that will one day be put back together, restored in full. Restored back to the God who loved us from the very beginning. The harsh notes of individuals striving for power cannot drown out the steady rhythm of God working toward renewal, bringing the world back into tune–into harmony.

Peace exists even when there is no resolution to be found. When we embrace the peace that God gives, it supersedes the conflict that the world gives. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). When we embrace “the peace of God”, we can find comfort, strength, and even protection for our hearts and minds. Peace is what guards us because it is rooted in the promise of life with God. Our hearts and our minds can find rest in knowing that the God who loves us, ultimately completes us through forgiveness. The parts of us we fear are lacking are enough. The shattered pieces we deem too far gone are reconstituted into the full picture that is painted in grace and refined in love. The promise of Shalom is interlaced through the stories of broken people, broken pieces that would one day be part of the whole picture.

This peace is embracing who we are in Jesus as God’s completed creation restored back to our relationship and future with God. Embracing shalom—embracing peace—means embracing ourselves as whole; it is stepping into the completeness our Creator intends for us. From the fractured relationship in the garden, the pieces come back together into fulfilment with Jesus—the ultimate peace that completes us. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)