Reading through today’s verses, I was most struck by John 14:27 where Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.”

In today’s world, it seems that peace is an often neglected, yet much needed, component.  In my own life, I so often find myself stressed with the small and large details of life that I forget what it means, and even feels like, to be at peace. Perhaps what is even more tragic is when Jesus is calling my name softly, freely extending his peace and love and grace to me, but I instead choose to continue on in my day focusing on myself: what I need to accomplish, what I need to problem solve and what I need to fix. At times, my mind and body become so used to this way of life that I tend to embrace and seek it out at times simply because it is familiar to me and because I think that through controlling every detail I somehow am in control (I am not).

What I hope I can realize on a more consistent basis is that Jesus’ gift of peace is one that is freely given (not as the world gives) and one that simply requires me to accept it. For me, accepting this gift looks like taking a few more moments in the morning to pause and be thankful for the simple things in life, to spend more moments in prayer and less moments in worry, and to allow the truth that God “works all things for the good of those who love him” to be more powerful in my life.  My prayer is that we would be able to accept this gift of peace today and that it would be a much needed reprieve for our mind, body and spirits today and always.