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October-December, 2022

The Peace of God… a New Thing Entirely!

by Rev. Maria Kingsley, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

In the Teacher’s Manual (M-20 pg. 51) we learn what is the Peace of God. Jesus itemizes the questions and steps we take to obtain it. It is a very useful look at what it means. We all know that we should want and join the Peace of God, but we often don’t find the connection or don’t know what it is supposed to feel like.

“What is the peace of God?

“It has been said that there is a kind of peace that is not of this world. How is it recognized? How is it found? And being found, how can it be retained? Let us consider each of these questions separately, for each reflects a different step along the way.” (M.20.1)

“First, how can the peace of God be recognized?

God’s peace is recognized at first by just one thing; in every way it is totally unlike all previous experiences.” (M.20.2:1-2)

So, here we are asked to look for something quite different, something that is not a common, everyday experience. We may think … oh, I’ll never get there, and if I don’t know what it feels like, how can I know that it is the peace of God, rather than some ordinary peaceful feeling?

Jesus continues to explain:

“It calls to mind nothing that went before. It brings with it no past associations. It is a new thing entirely. There is a contrast, yes, between this thing and all the past. But strangely, it is not a contrast of true differences. The past just slips away and in its place is everlasting quiet. Only that.” (M.20.2:3-9)

How nice to think: It is a new thing entirely. When we ask for this peace, we are asking for something quite different. We realize the old way of just being quiet is not enough. We want to go beyond the ordinary quiet and finally allow the past to just slip away.

Our minds quickly get filled with past thoughts, which make the mind jump to see the future just like the past. But here we want to stay in the present, let all things from the past be gone, be quiet, move into an entirely different thing.

As I think about that, it feels so refreshing to let go of the same old ways of being, but allow the mind to trust, to be neutral and rest in God. Past experiences cannot take me there.

The next question asked is:

“How is the quiet found?

“No one can fail to find it who but seeks out its conditions. God’s peace can never come where anger is, for anger must deny that peace exists.” (M.20.3:1-3)

Of course, we are not looking for anger when we are looking for peace, but anger may motivate us to find peace because anger is not helpful in any way. Yet, I have met several people who don’t want to let go of anger because of the energy within it. They believe that it will help them move forward. And indeed, it can. However, we need to be aware that it needs to move us towards something better, something more effective, not more destructive. Anger can quickly move us into the wrong direction. And, as Jesus says, anger must deny peace exists. We know anger well, but how often have we experienced true peace?

So, as we choose anger, we deny peace.

Jesus continues with this:

“Therefore, forgiveness is the necessary condition for finding the peace of God. More than this, given forgiveness there must be peace. For what except attack will lead to war?” (M.20.3:6-8)

What he seems to say to me is that, if not peace, then war. Attack is war. Anger attacks, and so again, we are on the wrong path. This reasoning should lead us clearly to be aware of our feelings:

If it is anger, attack or not forgiving, we have to look again. No one can fail to find peace who seeks it under the right conditions. I want to let my feelings tell me what I am choosing at the moment, for anger comes up sometimes unnoticed, almost habitual. I want to be aware of this habitual thinking and be vigilant for it. It will not take me to Peace. Again, habits help us in the world, but we are looking for ‘an entirely different thing’.

And lastly, Jesus asks:

“How is the Peace of God retained, once it is found?

Returning anger, in whatever form, will drop the heavy curtain once again, and the belief that peace cannot exist will certainly return. …Stop for a moment now and think of this: Is conflict what you want, or is God’s peace the better choice? Which give you more? A tranquil mind is not a little gift.” >(M.20.4:1,2,6-8)