Relief comes and goes. We feel relief only so long as our muscles ripple or alcohol flows through our veins. The pain is relieved only when we feel distracted by something else. But as soon as that distraction is gone, the pain returns. The peace of God, however, remains steady and firm regardless of circumstances. Why? Because our infinite God supplies it.

Don’t get me wrong. The peace of God doesn’t mean that we feel no fear or pain in horrible circumstances. It simply means that God’s peace can overwhelm anything thrown at us from the outside. There are countless stories of Christians who have terrible things happen to them – illness, accidents, loss, pain. Yet many of them describe experiencing an inexplicable peace that can only come from God. No outside force can take away a Christian’s peace.

In 2 Thessalonians 3:16, the apostle Paul wrote, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” He then says, “The Lord be with all of you.” When he says this, he’s not just using a religious cliché. He actually means that his friends need to depend on the Lord and consciously make him part of their daily lives. Only then will they truly experience God’s peace. The same goes for us. Once you rest in God’s unending peace, you will be able to touch your world for Christ.

This is Luis Palau.