I Am for Peace, But They Are for War!

Right now, I’m reading through the book of Psalms and the book of Philippians (I like to read an Old Testament book and a New Testament book at the same time). As I read through Psalm 120 and Philippians 4, these two verses stood out to me:

Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace.

I am for peace,

but when I speak, they are for war!

Psalm 120:6-7

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand…And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:5,7

If you pay even a small amount of attention to the events happening in the world right now, you can’t help but notice that we live in a very volatile time. Angry citizens on both sides of the political spectrum make their voices heard over the news and through social media. Well-respected leaders lose their positions of authority as their true character is revealed to the public. Events that should be kept private are laid bare, and those that should be known to all are kept hidden. People prefer to ignore reason in favor of victimhood and entitlement, and, as Christians especially, our words are often misrepresented and misconstrued. We truly live in a world where “the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain” (Psalm 2:1).

Among all this conflict, Christians come to the world with a message of peace. Sin threw the world into chaos and death. God promised a Savior would come, and at the right time, He came. He died to save us from our sins. He died to bring glory to God and to show God’s great love for us. Sometimes the message of the gospel does cause division, but Jesus’ message is ultimately one of restoration. We know that through Him we can be right with God, no longer outcasts but sons and daughters in His everlasting kingdom. This brings the peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). Our hope remains secure in Jesus, and nothing can prevail against us.

Even though we speak peace as we share the gospel, many today still respond by rallying for war. Any hint of even gentle admonition comes as an automatic affront to lifestyle choices and circumstances. Despite all of these hurt feelings, we must persevere in sharing the gospel, loving others, and loving the truth. We must respond reasonably to criticism and carefully weigh the words unbelievers say about us. God can turn His most adamant opponent into a faithful worker in His kingdom and can also use unbelievers’ observations to teach us about the state of the church. We must make our reasonableness known to all (Philippians 4:5).

Finally, we must remember that the Lord is at hand. He is with us, He is for us, and He cares for us. All His plans come to pass, and this volatile time is no exception. We can continue to persevere because we know that our peace comes through Jesus, even in times of war. He guards our “hearts and mind in Christ Jesus” and will no matter what comes (Philippians 4:7)!