Finding Peace in the Midst of Life's Struggles

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. - Colossians 3:16

I've been thinking about peace lately, especially with all the turmoil all around. When Paul wrote about letting Christ's peace rule in our hearts, I don't think he meant we'd live trouble-free lives. If that were the case, most of us would be failing miserably at this whole peace thing.

Frederick Buechner put it perfectly when he said, "The contradiction is resolved when you realize that, for Jesus, peace seems to have meant not the absence of struggle, but the presence of love."

That changes everything, doesn't it? Peace isn't about having all our problems solved or our questions answered. It's about knowing we're held by Love itself, even when life feels overwhelming.

I've found this to be true in my own journey. The peace that has sustained me through loss, uncertainty, and even ordinary daily frustrations isn't the kind that depends on circumstances. It's deeper than that. It's the quiet assurance that God's love remains constant, that His presence doesn't waver even when everything else does.

Maybe that's what Paul meant about being thankful too. Not grateful for the struggle itself, but thankful for the Love that meets us there.