According to the Oxford online dictionary, peace is: Freedom from anxiety, disturbance (emotional, mental, or spiritual), or inner conflict; calm, tranquility.
In this restless world, many solutions are offered to find peace and calm for the troubled soul, but they do not bring deep, lasting peace. The Bible, which has stood the test of time for millennia, reveals the way to true, abiding peace.
You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3
What is rendered perfect peace in the above verse is shalom shalom in Hebrew. The following comment from Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible sums it up succinctly:
The word "perfect" is not in the Hebrew text, it is there "peace, peace"; which is doubled to denote the certainty of it, the enjoyment of it, and the constancy and continuance of it; and as expressive of all sorts of peace, which God grants unto his people, and keeps for them, and them in; as peace with God and peace with men, peace outward and peace inward, peace here and peace hereafter; and particularly it denotes the abundance of peace that believers will have in the kingdom of Christ in the latter day.
How precious and necessary to have a double portion of shalom in a world which appears to be spiralling out of control!
Shalom means more than just peace in English.
Strong's concordance gives the following definition: completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.
This double peace comes solely from an unwavering trust in the Prince of shalom. When we keep our minds focused on Him, we will trust with our hearts.
It is not an occasional coming to the Lord, but a steadfast, continuous fixation of our minds on the Source of peace!
Through faith in the Lord's atoning work on the cross, we gain access to this eternal peace. It is a peace we can know here on earth and will enjoy for all eternity.
May you be filled with God's peace today!