Peace that Surpasses all Understanding

Peace transcends understanding. This is interesting because Solomon the wise man said; in all your getting get understanding. It is sound to get wisdom and understanding. Good to be able to tell why certain things happen the way they do. Great to understand nature and how God in his wisdom brought about the things we see. In fact, it is wonderful to understand or have insight into the mysteries of God having been called into the light, which is God’s kingdom. But the apostle Paul in writing to the Philippians said:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Phil 4:6-7

The peace of God is said to surpass or transcend ALL understanding. Hold on; at this point, we need to slow down a bit and look at what we think peace is.

The dictionary definition of peace is the absence of war or freedom from disturbance i.e. tranquillity. In fact, the bible may even allude to that definition when we think of what Jesus said to the sea, “Peace be still”. Jesus, in essence, called for peace. In calling for peace, he was calling for tranquillity, he was calling for the absence of turbulence. So, quite rightly put, peace may be seen as the absence of disturbance.

This kind of peace is also made clear in several situations in the Old Testament; one such case is recorded in Proverbs: 16:7:

When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

God brings about the cessation of hostility towards the one whose life is pleasing to Him. The psalmist talked about this kind of peace, which we still see in the world today when organisations like the United Nations send peacekeepers to a war-torn country. The psalmist said:

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:14

This type of peace can be sought after or pursued. Christians are encouraged to strive to live in peace with all men (1 Pet 3:11).

But then, this is simple and easy to understand. So, what then is the peace of God which is said to surpass understanding?

If we look a little closer at the message of the apostle Paul, it was that of encouragement. He was writing to encourage the Philippians to make their request known to God through prayer and thanksgiving. When they do that, the peace that surpasses understanding will guard their hearts and minds in Christ.

If we relate this to what Jesus said to his 12 apostles before his death, we notice something interesting:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Here, Jesus told the apostles of how they were going to be scattered and how they will suffer persecution. He made them aware that the very people who will persecute them will believe themselves to be doing the will of God. Hence, he forewarned them to be of God cheer. So that they may be able to have a certain kind of peace. Peace in the middle of a storm, the type of peace that Jesus exhibited when he was fast asleep during a storm.

Jesus told them about the peace of God, the kind of peace that sees victory in persecution. The peace that generates belief in difficult circumstances.

This is the peace that God alone can give. Jesus said to his disciples:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. – John 14:27

Therefore, whatever storm we may be going through, we need the peace of God, so that we may not be afraid, but say like David, “though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil for God is with me, his rod and his staff, they comfort me”.

So how do we get this peace of God? It is multiplied through the knowledge of God and the Lord Jesus (2 Pet 1:2). Just as our faith is built from hearing the word of God, the peace of God is multiplied through the knowledge of God. When we know what God can do, and has promised to do for us, we can safely sleep in the middle of a storm, because we know that having handed our cares to him in all thanksgiving. We are as safe in the middle of the storm as though we were without any storm. One confederate army general once said:

“I am as safe in the battlefield as I am in my bedroom if I am in the will of God.”

That is the definition of the peace of God that transcends human understanding.