Peace in Times of Turmoil
The holidays can be a stressful time of year. Relatives coming to visit, traveling to visit relatives, spending time with family, last second Christmas shopping and all that entails, and all of these other things can place a lot of demand on both our attention and our patience. That seems to be the way the holiday season is nowadays.
A Bit of History
There was a time, more than a hundred years ago, when groups of men fighting on two different sides of the Western Front in World War I decided that Christmas of 1914 was the day there would be peace, even if it was just for a short time. These men, far from home, decided that Christmas would not be sullied by violence. Some men exchanged gifts, others sang carols, and still others found time for a good-natured game or two of soccer between men who had been enemies the day before and would become enemies again the day after.
So What?
Now, I’m not saying that you should treat the people you spend the holidays with as enemies before or afterwards. Christmas should be a time of peace and fellowship with both friends and family. A time where people can relax and enjoy being with whoever they choose to spend their holidays with.
Those men at Christmas time a hundred years ago had the right idea.
That same idea from over a hundred years ago, a moment of peace in the midst of a stressful time is something I think we can all seek to strive for.
We must also remember that peace, while it is an internal feeling, does not come from within us. True peace comes from God, as stated in 2nd Thessalonians 3:16, which reads, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.”
When the world seems like it is just too much to deal with, take heart and remember John 16:33, which says “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage – I have conquered the world.”
Isn’t that amazing?
That the Lord our God has conquered the world for us for the sake of giving us peace, that he loves us enough to give us peace of mind even in the most trying of times?
I like to think so.
This Christmas, try to remember that God is willing and able to give you peace with whoever you choose to spend your holidays with.