Peace can feel very far away. The news is loud. Our families have trouble. Our own minds race at night. Many of us long for just one quiet hour without worry.
Jesus talked about peace on one of the least peaceful nights of his life.
A gift before goodbye
It was the night of the last supper. Jesus knew he would be arrested in a few hours. His friends could feel that something was wrong, and they were afraid.
He told them he was going away, but that he would not leave them alone. Then he gave them a parting gift. The Gospel of John, one of the four accounts of Jesus's life, records it.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27 · King James VersionThe original Greek
εἰρήνην ἀφίημι ὑμῖν, εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν· οὐ καθὼς ὁ κόσμος δίδωσιν ἐγὼ δίδωμι ὑμῖν. μὴ ταρασσέσθω ὑμῶν ἡ καρδία μηδὲ δειλιάτω.
Found in Papyrus 66 (about AD 200), Papyrus 75 (about AD 200), Codex Vaticanus (about AD 325), Codex Sinaiticus (about AD 350).
He called it "my peace." The peace he had himself, even on that night.
Not the world's kind
The world's kind of peace usually means everything is going well: no problems, no danger, enough money. That kind of peace disappears when trouble comes.
Jesus's peace was different. He was about to face the hardest day of his life, and he still had peace, because he trusted his Father completely. And he gave that same peace to his friends, to carry with them when things went wrong.
What it means for you
You can have peace even in a hard season. Problems may still be there, and you are still held by a Father who loves you, no matter what happens next.
Here are a few small ways to practice it today. Take a slow breath and say his words: "Peace I leave with you." Put down your phone for ten minutes. Tell God what is troubling you, and then hand it to him.
Jesus gave his friends peace on their worst night. He offers the same gift to you today.