"Peace I leave with you"

The way the world defines peace and the way Jesus gives peace are two entirely different things. The first way they differ is that the peace of the world is sometimes deceptive. Some people find illusions to be far more peaceful than actual truth. We hearken back to the pandemic, for example. People sought peace in strange things. A thin cloth mask, an ineffective jab, these made people feel safe, when in reality they were useless. By contrast, the peace Jesus provides is based entirely on truth.

Another way the two differ is that the peace the world gives is temporary. Nothing in this world will last forever. Few things even last a lifetime. But the peace Jesus provides is eternal.

Yet another difference is the way worldly peace often varies based on circumstance. On Earth, people worry based on where they're at. Are you rich enough? Are you friends with the right people? Have you found love? These things and more often bother us. Even Christians tend to seek this kind of peace. If we're late with the rent, for example, we go into panic mode. But with Jesus, we don't need to worry about even the most essential things (Matthew 6:27-34).

The greatest aspect of the peace Jesus offers is that it spans even beyond this world. This peace follows us even to death. A great example of this is found in Stephen the Martyr. His faith in God made him many enemies, even Paul (at the time Saul), and they eventually stoned him to death. His final words were not what you would expect from a man with rocks hurtling towards his head. Instead, He prayed "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Lord, do not charge them with this sin." The peace of Jesus is so powerful that it enables us to forgive even those who are in the process of murdering us!

Rest in the peace of Jesus. The more you divide yourself from the world and rest with Jesus, the harder it will be for Satan to steal your peace.