Peace the World Cannot Offer
Ninth Day of Advent. Monday, December 8, 2025
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Dear friends,
The Advent theme for this entire week is peace. For us, peace often means a walk in the woods with our dog Arlo, a Sunday afternoon with no plans, or sitting by the fire at home. Of course, peace is more than just this, but words like calm, serenity, and tranquility are often what we may associate with peace.
For Jesus, the peace he offers is something far greater and more profound. So much so that our Savior considers it otherworldly; the world cannot provide it. Throughout the 14th chapter, Jesus, by the Spirit, offers his presence as the place where his followers dwell with him, and it is fundamentally different from what the world offers.
The world’s peace relies on favorable circumstances—such as financial security, good health, meaningful relationships, or the absence of conflict. It is a delicate peace that can quickly shatter when conflicts arise. In contrast, Christ’s peace is an indwelling in us of His unchanging character and the work He accomplished on the cross. It is His Spirit inside us. It remains resilient amid chaos, carries through suffering, and stays steady even when everything around us collapses.
Let’s face it- this kind of peace is difficult. Think of the worst trial or difficulty you have ever faced. Perhaps you cried out to God, expressing your confusion or anger, feeling exhausted and defeated. Remember, the presence of Christ is right there, wanting to gift you peace of mind and heart. It is a confident assurance that you are held by Someone greater than your circumstances, loved beyond measure, and secured for eternity.
And it is not only something we receive, but also something we offer to others. When anxiety threatens to overwhelm us, we can pause and redirect our thoughts to God’s faithfulness, remembering that He who began a good work in us will carry it through to completion. We cultivate His peace by choosing forgiveness over bitterness, trust over worry, and hope over despair. It is a counterintuitive choice—responding to hostility with gentleness, to injustice with patient work for those in need. Instead of responding with anger, we choose words of peace during heated times. We stay calm while others panic, becoming living examples of a peace that goes beyond human understanding.
Below is a familiar and oft-quoted prayer we can offer. It is often associated with Saint Francis of Assisi (c.1182-1226), though it isn’t found in any of his writings. Instead, it has been traced back to an anonymous source published in a French magazine called La Clochette.
Meditate on the words, asking God where you can extend grace and seek reconciliation as an instrument of His peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Watching and waiting,
