Peace When Life Is Loud
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15
While our little family of four lives in Colorado, all of our extended family still lives in the South, scattered across Texas and Mississippi. We try to stay as connected as we can via FaceTime. While these calls are precious and much anticipated, they often look a little like this: both of the kids decide to hide from whoever they’re calling and then pop up in screams and giggles to “surprise” the person on the receiving end. Then there is a rush of words that comes out of both of them, trying to snag attention and share their lives. At some point, one of them starts running around in circles. The other soon follows. There’s lots of singing, laughter, and sibling fights. There’s usually a moment when I have to set the phone down and remind my son not to color on every surface of our house or remind my daughter that her brother screaming at her to stop means he doesn’t want her to sit on top of him. You know, just a normal day.
Every time I actually try to catch up with the person we’re chatting with, the cacophony of the Hopkins home swells again, and any sense of actual conversation is lost.
In all of our children’s waking hours, our home is LOUD. There are squeals of delight, tantrums, hangry kids, toys that only have one insane volume, and so much music. It can certainly get overwhelming, but more times than not, it’s a beautiful chaos.
The dictionary definition of peace isn’t often found in our home. The idea that life can be tranquil and free from disturbance doesn’t seem like a reality for us that will come anytime soon.
And yet, in the chaos, in the noise, in the regular toddler karaoke that bursts out unannounced, my heart can be at peace, and I can bring that peace into our home.
The peace I am talking about is not bound to circumstances or seasons of life but something we can bask in every moment. The peace I’m talking about is the peace we have with God.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5
Before Jesus, all mankind had a debt to settle with the God of the universe. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. This horrible reality separated us from our holy King, our perfect Creator. But in love, God sent his only Son to do what was impossible for mankind. Jesus lived a perfect life, died the death that we deserved, and canceled “the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). Our sinful souls, now free of our debt, can have peace with God.
But this peace comes with a snowball effect. Once the reality of it all clicks, we rejoice! That joy gives way to endurance, no matter the circumstances we may face. Our endurance produces a godly character and spurs us on to infallible hope. The peace we have with God is the starting point for an abundant life with him on earth and a perfect one with him for eternity.
I’m writing this post in May in the mountains, so naturally it’s been snowing the last couple of days. The snowy landscape I see outside my window easily leads my mind to think back to the announcement of this peace coming to the world. Check this out:
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:8-14
The quiet night sky erupted with a multitude of heavenly hosts, transforming this ordinary night into something unbelievably extraordinary. The proclamation announced was loud, vibrant, and earth-shattering: God had sent peace to the world.
The news of this peace was not delivered quietly. It was delivered with all the fanfare heaven could muster. It disrupted the quiet. It turned life upside down. It could not be contained.
The peace we have with God is so different from the peace we chase on earth. The peace the world offers is found in fleeting moments. The peace God offers lasts an eternity. The peace the world offers can be stolen. The peace God offers is secure. The peace the world offers must be attained by working towards ideal circumstances or situations. The peace God offers is a free gift that he lavishes on his children.
The season of life you are in may not lend itself to many quiet times. It may feel fast and furious and surrounded by chaos. But even in those circumstances, the peace we have with God cannot be shaken. It is this peace that the angels sang about LOUDLY. This same peace remains even in our chaos. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts in every moment.
