In the final days and hours of my mom’s life, God gave me a sense of peace that was unexplainable in human terms. The gift was not just for me, but for others. At a time when there could have been great sadness, anxiety, or feelings of injustice, there was an overwhelming awareness of Christ’s presence and goodness (Philippians 4:7).

The Greek word for “peace” used throughout Scripture is eirēnē, the root of the English word “serene.” It means free of storms; an unclouded tranquility and serenity. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom which, in its fullest sense, means “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ.”

While Jesus taught that worldly peace was fleeting, He was clear about our source of true peace. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). In the midst of disunity, disappointment, disaster, and death, there is peace available to those who put their trust and hope in Jesus alone.

He Himself is peace, in the same way that He is love and hope and joy. He is Peace.

The armies of heaven announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14). And some 700 years prior to that, the prophet Isaiah referred to the coming Messiah as the Prince of Peace and declared that His government and its peace would never end.

Our peace does not come from avoiding the trials of life, but in resting in Jesus and His promises. It’s in knowing that we are dearly loved by the Father, sealed by His Holy Spirit for the day of redemption, holding to a confident expectation that Jesus will one day come again and usher in an eternity without pain and sorrow; an eternal state of shalom which was intended and promised from the beginning of time. May we know that peace this Advent season!