Peace Part 01

What is peace?

Is peace the opposite of war? If war is the state of two or more entities or nations in conflict, then is peace the state of two or more entities not in conflict?

Is peace defined by what it is not?
If peace were not defined by what it is not, then what is it?

Is peace ease?
Is peace comfort?

Is peace a form of unity?
Is unity a dynamic of peace?

When Paul says ‘Grace and peace unto you’, is he wishing them ‘God’s unmerited’ favor and ‘unity’? Is he wishing them ‘God’s unmerited favor’ and ‘ease’? ‘Comfort’? ‘Lack of war’?

Why is the goal to be at peace? What are the assumptions we are making about peace that makes it so much better than war?

Peace of mind
What is peace of mind?
Is it the opposite of when our thoughts are in conflict? Is it when our thoughts are in unity? Why is it not as good to have thoughts that conflict? Is that not critical thinking? Is it not good to have thoughts that challenge each other, whereby gaining a more wholesome understanding of the world around us?

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Having studied out a dozen or so scriptures on peace, it seems that God highly values peace. “The Lord blesses His people with peace,” and “joy will come to those who promote peace” are just a few of the words written about God and His view of peace.

So, many of the questions above are moot on the simple grounds that God values peace. He seems to want us at peace.

But, what is peace today?
I have a friend who swears that he hears from the Lord all the time, yet this man does not have peace. At least, he doesn’t seem to be at peace. He is being moved out of his house because his community has just switched its charter to become a 55 and up living community. His dream is to work the mission field yet he rarely has the funds because he cannot find a well-paying job.

Are these indicators of lack of peace? What would be peace in his situation? It seems that he lacks peace in these areas. He is struggling and, by his own admission, not at peace about these things.

So, peace of mind, peace of God, peace, being blessed with peace, presupposes a form of provision. What purpose does that serve, though?

What purpose does it serve to have provisions for earthly things?
Perhaps God wants us to know that He is real and provides.
Perhaps God wants us to have provision for our vision.
Perhaps God wants us to be at rest.

Perhaps he is simply fulfilling his promise to provide.

….

Perhaps he loves us and wants us to be at peace like siblings in the back seat of a car.

Perhaps peace is a characteristic of unity. Perhaps these are part of an ideal we all carry in our minds. Perhaps peace is a characteristic of God that He wishes us to express. The more of Him there is in us, perhaps, would manifest more of his peace.

Peace would imply that we are not striving.
At peace, we would not struggle with one another for anything.
At peace, we would give and give and give beyond normal means.
At peace, we would not be panicked or worry.
We would not act out of fear of poverty, death, or starvation.
We would act only in opulence, abundance, and love.
We would be focused on one another, because at peace we do not have to think about ourselves, protecting ourselves and guarding against others. We would be at rest. We would be peaceful.