Peace is one of those innate desires of the human heart. It is a need that we have even at the deepest level of our souls. We all long for it, and in a world filled with turmoil and upheaval, with wars, rumors of wars, horrific news reports, and chaos everywhere we look, it is easy to find yourself living a life that longs for peace, for quiet and calm.
In the bible, Shalom is the Hebrew word used, which means peace. C. Plantinga, a Christian author, tells us Shalom means more than just peace. It means “Universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words,” he declares Shalom, “is the way things ought to be.” Oh, to live in a world where we can state things are the way they ought to be, how God ordained them to be at the beginning of scripture in Genesis 1 and 2.
Thankfully, as Christians, we can know peace in our hearts even when peace is not the word we would use to define our environment. Scripture tells us that peace is not only found in Jesus but is also the prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). One of the best ways to lean into God when we are struggling is to pray scripture.
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