Trying to find spiritual peace with God is something that every Christian faces at one time or another. The life we lead here on Earth is filled with pitfalls, problems, trials, and tribulations. We are constantly bombarded with things that seem in direct contrast with the principles that we know God to endorse. We have temptations that draw us away from religion, and though we may occasionally give in, we are promised salvation and forgiveness. Finding peace with God is not exactly easy with all this as a backdrop in our lives.
So, how exactly do we do it?
First, we have to look to His Word. Jesus came to Earth for a very specific purpose and that was to save us from ourselves. Nobody knows the backdrop of our lives better than God. He knew that we were fighting a battle that we were not equipped to fight. Adam and Eve set that in motion early on. Why then do we still expect that perfection as Christians? Even more importantly, why do we expect it of our fellow man?
Every person I know, myself included, has looked down our nose at someone living a life of sin. We have thought to ourselves that we would never do what they did. We have thought that they are surely headed down a path towards spiritual death. The truth is, they are no more heading down that path than you are. They have the same chance at redemption and forgiveness as you. They have the promise of the Lord to fall back on too. We are sinning ourselves when we do this sort of thing. Most people know that. What we do not always see though is that we are killing our connection with God.
What does God expect of us given that he knows that we are imperfect? He expects us to love, forgive, believe, and share. Does this sound like someone else you might know? It sounds a whole lot like Jesus Christ. He is the prototype. He is the ultimate example of how we should act, believe, and live. We know we can never reach His status, but He is the key to God and spiritual peace.
When you are doing something that is reflective of Jesus, you are never closer to the Lord. The awesome feeling you get when you help someone for no other reason than they needed it is when you see the Glory of the Lord up close. You feel the euphoric feelings, and you understand spiritual peace. It is the ultimate high. The same is true for other good deeds that you do for the purity of doing it.
God expects us to read His Book, and to follow the example that was Jesus Christ. He knows we will fall short of that lofty status, but He also allows us a taste of Heaven when we get it right. Likewise, when we are at our lowest, He rewards us when we turn to Him. Why? Because it shows that we need Him and He loves us.
Knowing this, the answer to spiritual peace is rather simple. Ask yourself what would Jesus do, and follow that example in your life. The phrase is a rather repeated one, but it is spot on in the arena of spiritual peace.
From the mouths of children comes the most perfect answers.
