Mankind is yearning for one, single and solitary condition: inner peace. This is not world peace or the lack of war. It is not financial freedom, or the elimination of poverty. It is not eradicating hunger, or healing disease. These things are mere symptoms of the issue. The issue is, and has always been, one’s inner sense of peace.
In this crazy world, we find countless ways offered to find peace and contentment. On every billboard, in every commercial, in every ad we are promised peace. Most assure this elusive state of mind by dressing it up in money or achievement or comfort. And against this malaise of promises there are countless others promising yet an even better way, a faster way, a more sure way.
And yet the search goes on.
The irony of it all can be seen by understanding the motivation of those promising the peace, for in offering peace to others, the offerors are seeking to gain their own peace, which also is based in money, achievement, comfort, etc. The cycle goes on and on and on.
And so, so few ever find this peace they seek all of their lives. Why is this?
The answer, like all answers, is found in the Word of God. The answer is so simple, and yet so difficult. And it is difficult not because it is not simple; it is difficult because it is found where no one naturally expects to find it: within themselves.
Proverbs 3: 21 says: “…keep sound wisdom and discretion, so they will be life to your soul and adornment to your neck. Then you will walk in your way securely and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”
How simple could it possibly be? Keeping sound wisdom and discretion.
Peace is achievable, but it is found only in a right relationship to God. And in one’s relationship to God, there is acquired wisdom. This wisdom brings peace. This incredibly simple equation is the pure and unadulterated answer to man’s relentless struggle with unhappiness and lack of peace throughout all of life.
And this truth has been in print and published around the world for centuries.
There would be many who would contest this answer. They might assert that there are many paths to peace, and offer up a myriad of things one can do to achieve this state of mind, things such as meditation or affirmations. Or they might say one can do good works, offer himself or herself for service to others, or any other thing that has nothing to do with money or satisfaction. These might be good things in and of themselves, but if they are done as a means of achieving inner peace, they will fall short. Why?
The answer to this is the purpose of this writing: all problems, internal and external, originate in the breaking of humankind’s relationship to God Almighty. He set forth laws. Those laws are broken, everyday, by everyone who lives upon the earth. The resulting condition is internal, spiritual warfare.
There’s no peace in that.
So how to fix the problem? Fix the relationship. God is God; we are not. If He made laws and we broke those laws, we have to make the change to get into a right relationship with Him. Fortunately, He made that remedy possible when He sent His son Jesus to die for our sins. In accepting the offer of forgiveness through Christ, the relationship with God is restored and then, and only then, true inner peace is achieved. But until that is done, there will forever be an ongoing, relentless struggle to find peace and happiness in a word full of false solutions.
Once the relationship to God is made right, we find ourselves still in this world, wrought full of trouble and difficulties of every kind. The difference is here, we find wisdom is within reach, and true wisdom guides one’s life actions and brings that previously unattainable state of mind, quite attainable.
To see how the wisest man the world has ever known found peace, look at Wisdom of Solomon
Leave a Reply