If peace is something that you are missing, don’t be afraid of the wrong things. Put your fear in the Lord and find his mercy pour out in your life, and it will be peace to your heart.

It starts by making peace with God. That is, after all, what this is all about. That’s why Jesus showed up in the first place — not because he simply just wanted to ease our fears, not to simply call us to follow him, not to simply even be with us. Jesus showed up to resolve the chaos that exists in the relationship that we have with God. Sin has damaged our relationship with God, and Jesus shows up to usher in peace.

So, it starts with being at peace ourselves with God. But when that happens, it translates out into every edge of our lives. When we can accept our role as God’s servant just like Mary does, where she says, “I am the Lord’s servant,” if we can accept that; and when we choose to live with Immanuel — God with us — because God’s offered it and he’s available and he wants to; if we can be the Lord’s servant and we can let God live with us, then that phrase “do not be afraid” makes a whole lot more sense, and we can live with courage, and peace wins out.