Day 8: Peace Within Transitions

Read: John 14:25-27

When I first learned that I was admitted into Moody, I was thrilled. But shortly after, I became nervous and afraid. I started searching for the reasons everything could go wrong. I did this so much that my move from my hometown of Los Angeles to Chicago was a hard transition.

I had to move in by myself in the middle of a Chicago winter. I had little money, making it difficult to carry my weight as a roommate, which I hated. The dishes I had delivered from home arrived in a million pieces and I had not the slightest prospect of a job. But on the first day of class, I was met with peace. I had peace that moving to Chicago was the right thing, and soon enough, I even had peace about my career.

Peace often begins with chaos. When I was met with the command to move, fear, uncertainty, and a host of other emotions overcame me. Even though this transition was uncomfortable, it was necessary in order for me to begin living out what God had in store.

In Luke 2:1-5, Caesar Augustus sent out a decree for a census that required every person to travel to the town they were from. And so, Joseph gathered his pregnant wife and their belongings to begin a journey. When they finally arrived after the long trip, every home and inn had no room left. This led Joseph and Mary, who was very pregnant, to stay in a stable. Even though the Bible does not state exactly how they felt during this time, it is safe to assume that a wave of emotions overcame them as Jesus was due to be born at any moment.

Traveling while at the end of a pregnancy and ending up in a stable filled with animals to give birth must have seemed chaotic and overwhelming to Mary and Joseph. But it ended with the birth of the Prince of Peace. Despite the crazy circumstances surrounding His birth, Jesus, the Savior of the World, came into physical being that night. Chaos is overwhelming, but we can trust that God is the source of a peace that exceeds all of our understanding.

In John 14:27, Jesus offers a simple word to believers. He says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

There will always be stressful, overwhelming situations happening around us. Yet, we can trust that peace will be there as well when we look to God. Through all the changes and doubt that crept in as I moved to Chicago, I constantly found myself in a state of peace as I trusted God with the things that were out of my control.

I could have moved to Chicago in an ideal scenario, but I wouldn’t have learned the lesson I needed to be taught: God is the only One who can offer true, life-altering peace.

What is happening in your life that you need peace about? What steps can you take today to seek God and find peace in a situation you ultimately have no control over? Think about the ways in which you can engage in God’s word to reflect on His promise of peace.