In church yesterday we talked and learned about peace, specifically God’s peace, the kind that passes understanding, the kind that can be inexplicable. God’s peace comes from salvation. If you’re not saved by believing in Jesus and what He’s done, then this peace is not in you. When you are saved, this peace is now and always within you.
But sometimes we constrict that peace. We don’t let it flow freely like it should. In Philippians 4 where it talks about the peace that passes understanding, there is an “and” on that verse (7). The verse before it (6) tells us to worry about nothing and to pray about everything. That’s how you keep the peace flowing, how you guard and maintain it: you worry about nothing and pray about everything. In the verses after having that peace (8-9), we see more about what to do to keep that peace: focus on truth and goodness, and do them.
When we worry about nothing, pray about everything, focus on truth and goodness, and do what God says, then the God of Peace will be with us and His peace will flow freely through our lives, even when it doesn’t make sense for it to be there.
And when the presence of peace makes the least sense, that’s when it passes understanding. God can give us peace even when we would normally have it the least.
On top of that, when we have peace we naturally praise the One who gives it, showing God’s peace to others.
More on peace:
Peace on Earth
World Peace
Notes on Peace
Related to praise coming from peace:
Choosing Praise (While I do not specifically mention peace in this telling, I certainly felt it and it can be seen.)