Among the multiple meanings of our word peace (which morphed out of the Latin pax and has been in use for at least nine centuries), one stands apart. Several have to do with a sense of civil rest from war or under government control. Another has to do with sound relationships between siblings or other loved ones. But the second meaning listed in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary states, “Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.”

There is a broader sense of peace that I have little to no control over. And there is a peace with others that I can only do so much on my own to maintain.

But there is a peace that has nothing to do with the absence of trouble or the choices of others. Instead, it has everything to do with where I find my freedom.

And for me, one who has trusted Jesus for freedom from the first weight of her sin, and one who still seeks to trust Him when daily trials and challenges come (whether in my thoughts or in my feelings), that kind of peace soothes the heart. It is like dwelling for a time in the eye of a hurricane. While all spins fast around, the immediate closest air is still and bright.

My friends, today I would pray for peace on earth and good relationships within our families. But more than that, I would hope for you that this most important peace would be yours and would guard your mind and your heart. Amen.