“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” - John 14:27
The night Jesus shared a last meal with his disciples was an evening full of emotion. Aware that these were some of His final moments, Jesus imparted truths he wanted his friends to remember once he was gone.
Laced within Jesus’s final words of comfort and love, he conveyed his parting gift of peace. Jesus was leaving the disciples with His peace – not just fleeting tranquility for a moment but enduring peace for a lifetime. And because of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence in our lives today, we have access to this same peace of Christ. Philippians 4:6-7 helps us understand how to embody this gift of peace. It says that when something anxiety-inducing invades our hearts and minds, we can give it to God in prayer, and then God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding, will take charge of our hearts.
This can be easier said than done, though. It may take intentionally turning to God again and again before we can start to abide in his peace.
As we face the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to let our peace slip away. Whether it’s unmet expectations, difficult loved ones, or simply the pressure of more to do in less time, stress can become the norm for our holiday season. Yet, Jesus longs for us to exchange our stress for his peace.
As you go through your holiday season, when you start feeling stressed, take a deep breath and ask Jesus to help you. He left his peace for us. We can trust him and lay our anxieties down to pick up his peace despite our circumstances.
Let’s Pray and ask God for his peace right now:
Lord Jesus, thank you that you left us with your peace. You knew the disciples would face a multitude of struggles and discouragements, and so, as some of your last words, you made sure they would know they had access to your peace. And you also knew those words would make their way into our lives today. You left your peace long ago – but it transcends time and can be ours right now. So, Lord, we ask that you would help us know more of your peace.
If something is causing us anxiety right now, would you help us discern how to move forward? If we need to change something, give us the wisdom to know what to change. If we need to trust you more in this situation, help us do that. If we need additional help to navigate the anxiety, guide us to the proper support. Lord, we believe you when you say you left us your peace. So, help us know your peace right now.
Lord, As we move through this holiday season, we ask that you give us your enduring peace. Help us to rest in you and trust you. Help us to experience and celebrate this season with hearts full of peace.
We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Related Resource: Did you know that the author of this devotional is also a podcast host? Listen to Jodie's FREE podcast, So Much More, where she teaches on Lectio Divina and Imaginative Prayer, and gives you space to practice them. Listen to her popular episode on finding hope when pain overwhelms you by clicking the play button below. Then head over to LifeAudio.com to hear her whole catalog of episodes!
Jodie Niznik is a seminary-trained lover of God’s Word who has served in vocational ministry for over twelve years. She helps people create space for God through her Scripture meditation podcast and equips them to take another step with Jesus through her Real People, Real Faith Bible studies, and teaching. You can connect with her at jodieniznik.com or on Instagram.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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Originally published Monday, 27 November 2023.
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