A lady in my church once told me, “Pastor Tod shouldn’t get upset if he sees us fall asleep in church. Some of us live in such chaos that we just can’t help but nod off in the peace and presence of God.”
I laughed when she said this, but then realized how true it really was.
Our world has become increasingly chaotic and busy. It’s hard for people to find real peace. Moms have crying babies and dirty houses… Dads have demanding jobs… Teenagers have overlapping schedules… Families barely have time to sit and eat a meal together anymore.
Sound familiar? If not, I just described a time in my life— yet I had peace. Let me show you why…
THE WORK OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Isaiah 32:17 says, “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.” In this passage, righteousness describes God’s approval, His work in our life, His justice, and our response to His invitation for salvation. In other words, “The effect of righteousness will be peace [internal and external], and the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever” (AMP).
I like this translation the best. The word effect is defined as the power to produce results. Therefore we could translate this scripture to say, “Righteousness has the power to produce results.” Or better yet, our acceptance and understanding of God’s approval, justice, and work in our life, has the power to produce results. And this is why the second half of the scripture details the result of a faith like this as: “…quietness and assurance forever.”
Take a deep breath right now.
Breathe in God’s faithfulness.
The laundry will still be there. Grace for your workload is available. Schedules will overlap but life will go on. Peace is the direct result of your faith in God. And on those especially tough days, God promises peace that passes understanding. “…[that tranquil state of soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort it is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7, Amplified).
This is a pretty big promise. But one I have relied on many, many times.
PEACE ISN’T ACCIDENTAL
But there’s one more thing you need to know. Peace isn’t accidental. It’s the result of our faith AND the result of our sowing.
“And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18). The entire third chapter of James is dedicated to helping us understand the power of our tongue. And he ends with this statement about planting seeds of peace and reaping a harvest of righteousness. In other words, when life is getting chaotic, you have been given the ability to say (or sow) words of faith and reap an immediate harvest on your words.
I can tell you from personal experience, when momma’s happy… everyone’s happy. But if we’re in a pressure-cooker situation because of schedules and deadlines and messy rooms, and momma (or daddy or whoever) starts whining, complaining, and/or panicking with rushed tones, peace will be the furthest thing from our home.
But if we plant seeds of peace by refusing to give in to the pressure and we intentionally keep our words aligned with peace, the result will be a harvest of righteousness. Or we could say (according to Isaiah 32:17), the result will be a harvest of quietness and assurance (both internally and externally).
So, take another deep breath.
Begin to pay attention to your words.
Trust in God and your fait