Part 3 in the Fruit of the Spirit Series.
Anchor verses:
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
— Romans 12:18
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
— Matthew 5:9
A Quiet Ache in the Noise
I’ve come to believe that peace is one of the most misunderstood and undervalued gifts of the Spirit. We talk about it often, but how many of us truly live it?
Our world is loud—restless even. But beneath the headlines and the hustle, there’s a quiet ache: people longing for peace. Not just a moment of silence or escape, but a deep, sustaining, reconciling kind of peace.
The kind Jesus carried. The kind that reaches into a broken heart, a strained marriage, a divided church, or a war-torn land—and brings rest.
Root Causes of Unrest: Why Peace Feels So Elusive
To pursue peace, we must first understand what disrupts it:
✖ Pride and the Need to Be Right
At the core of most conflict is ego. When being “right” becomes more important than being relational, division is inevitable.
✖ Unresolved Offense and Bitterness
Past hurts that fester lead to walls, silence, and suspicion. Many live in the prison of unforgiveness—cut off from peace.
✖ Fear and Mistrust
Whether from trauma, cultural tensions, or distorted narratives, fear fuels isolation. Mistrust builds barriers faster than any weapon.
✖ Systemic Injustice and Inequality
When people are overlooked or oppressed, peace becomes unattainable. God’s peace requires truth and justice.
✖ Spiritual Disconnection
A heart disconnected from God struggles to find inner rest. Peace begins when we’re anchored in the One who created it.
Not As the World Gives…
Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” — John 14:27
This has stuck with me.
The world’s peace is usually circumstantial—based on comfort, agreement, or avoidance of conflict. It is fragile. It disappears the moment things don’t go our way.
But Jesus offers a peace that survives conflict, walks through storms, and still stretches out a hand to reconcile. His peace is not based on outcomes but on the presence of God in the middle of the tension.
His peace doesn’t avoid brokenness—it enters it with grace. And that’s the kind of peace I want my life to carry.
Peace from the Inside Out
I’ve learned that real peace doesn’t start in our environment—it starts in our posture. It is a core human value that exists in everyone but needs to be unearthed, nurtured and applied for the common good in all social settings.
It is built on:
- Humility: letting go of the need to always be right or have the last word
- Compassion: choosing to feel with others instead of dismissing their experience
- Empathy: sitting in someone else’s shoes long enough to understand their pain
- Reconciliation: facing hurt, asking hard questions, and choosing forgiveness
- Love: the thread that holds all of these together and keeps us anchored in Christ
Peace is not weakness. It’s courage wrapped in grace. It’s the power to stand firm when everything says to retaliate, to remain calm when your instincts tell you to panic, and to forgive when the world says you have every right to stay bitter.
Being a Peacemaker: More Than a Role
Peacemaking isn’t just what I do—it’s part of who I’ve become, by grace.
In every season—whether in healthcare, family life, sports, or ministry—I’ve felt called to be a carrier of peace. Not perfectly, but intentionally.
Sometimes that has meant listening when I wanted to speak. Other times, forgiving when I wanted to be justified. Often, it’s simply being present in tense spaces without losing my inner calm.
There have been days in high-pressure work settings when emotions run high, but I’ve found that a kind word and a steady spirit can shift the entire room. I’ve sat with clients in the pharmacy consulting rooms, knowing that my peaceful presence—fuelled by Christ—was the ministry.
And in all of this, I’ve learned: peace doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes, it’s quiet, invisible, and deeply powerful.
Where Peace Is Needed Most: Real-Life Reflections
Instead of listing settings, I want to share where I’ve personally seen the power of peace—and where you might too.
In the Home: Choosing Harmony Over Control
Home is where peace is tested most. In the middle of parenting, managing personalities, or facing life’s hardships like dysfunctional marriages, grief and loss of a loved one, or financial stress, it’s easy to let frustration lead.
But peace looks like:
- Slowing down when you feel rushed
- Apologizing to your spouse or children when you fall short
- Speaking with tenderness, especially in tension
- Being the safe place where your loved ones can be themselves without fear
- Speaking calmly in heated moments
- Modelling forgiveness, especially with children
- Seeking understanding, not dominance
- Creating emotionally safe spaces for honesty
I’ve learned that peaceful homes are built moment by moment. They don’t happen by accident—they are cultivated by hearts willing to love beyond emotion. Peaceful homes provide safe sanctuaries where love can be nurtured and grown leading to greater self worth in humility.
In the Workplace: Reflecting Christ Under Pressure
As a healthcare professional, I’ve faced chaotic days, clashing personalities, and moments of deep ethical tension. But peace-making here doesn’t mean avoiding problems—it means carrying calm through them.
Peace at work is when you:
- Diffuse conflict with grace
- Refuse to participate in gossip or division
- Advocate and promote fairness over favouritism even when it’s inconvenient
- Lead by example, not domination
- Speak encouragement in competitive cultures
- Resolve rather than avoid conflict
Peacemakers lead with integrity, even when it costs them position or popularity.
When we choose peace in the workplace, we make space for collaboration, creativity, and human dignity.
In the Church: Unity Over Division
Church should be a sanctuary, but even here, ego and misunderstanding can create fracture.
I’ve seen how small offenses can grow into large rifts. But when we commit to peace, we create room for reconciliation, healing, and deeper discipleship.
Peace in church looks like:
- Listening and Building bridges across generations and cultures
- Bridging gaps between leadership and congregation
- Embracing diversity without compromising truth
- Resisting cliques and factions
- Choosing relationship over rigid rules
- Re-centring everything on Christ and love
Please remember: our greatest witness to the diverse world we live in, is not our doctrine—but our love.
The Church must lead in peacemaking—not just preach it.
In the Community: Presence Before Position
True community is built when we show up for one another. Peace here isn’t always grand—often it’s practical.
- Lending a hand to a neighbour in crisis
- Mentoring youth who need a stable influence
- Sharing meals, stories, and burdens
- Serving across racial, economic, and ideological lines
- Hosting conversations that heal
- Uplifting the oppressed and include the overlooked
- Uniting people around our shared humanity
They remind us that peace is not agreement—it’s deeper understanding.
Peacemaking is about human connection. You don’t need influence to make impact—you need intention.
In the World: Small Acts With Eternal Impact
The world’s need for peace is overwhelming. From wars and refugee crises to online hostility and broken institutions, it can feel impossible to make a difference.
But I’ve come to believe: we change the world by starting with the people in front of us.
Your peace, your prayer, your generosity, your reconciliation—they matter.
When peace is planted locally, it grows globally.
In the World 🌍
Global peace feels too big, but it starts with small actions by ordinary people.
From humanitarian workers to athletes using their platforms, from diplomats to local activists—peacemakers create hope in the rubble of conflict.
Peacemakers in the world:
- Refuse to let hate speak louder than love
- Work for justice and reconciliation
- Inspire others through courage and compassion
- Use platforms to promote peace and reconciliation
- Advocate for the voiceless
- Build coalitions across borders and beliefs
- Choose love even in places of loss
And yes, even our daily prayers, financial giving, and intentional conversations can ripple into global healing.
Peace for All People
Even if you’re not a person of faith, you know the value of peace.
Maybe you’ve found moments of it in nature, silence, or deep connection. That longing in you? It’s sacred.
But I gently invite you to consider: What if the peace you crave is not just a feeling, but a Person?
Jesus offers a peace that holds even when life doesn’t. That changes not just situations—but souls.
Whether you are a Christian or of another faith or no faith, remember, peace has universal gifts for all: It creates:
- Emotional resilience
- Relational healing
- Clarity in decision-making
- Reduced anxiety and burnout
- Increased trust and respect
Peace is not just for the passive. It is for the bold, the bruised, and the brave.
Reflection Prompts: Walking This Out
- In what area of your life do you most need peace right now?
- Who in your life needs you to bring calm, not conflict?
- Is there a conversation you’ve been avoiding that peace could heal?
Peacemaking isn’t easy. But it’s worth it. And it starts with one courageous, Spirit-led choice.
Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus, Make me a peacemaker in a restless world. Give me eyes to see beyond offense, A heart soft enough to forgive, And the strength to stand in love when silence feels safer. Make me a builder of bridges. Where others tear down, help me repair. Where others sow fear, help me plant hope. Where there is pain, may I offer healing.
And where there is war, may I reflect the Prince of Peace.
Let my life reflect the peace You died to give.
Amen.
A Practice: Daily Peace Check-In
Every evening, ask yourself:
- Did I bring peace into at least one space today?
- Where did I react instead of respond?
- Is there anyone I need to reconcile with tomorrow?
Pursue peace. Intentionally. Consistently. Lovingly.
Scriptures to Anchor Your Peace
- Romans 12:18 – “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
- Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the peacemakers…”
- John 14:27 – “My peace I give to you…”
- Galatians 5:22 – “The fruit of the Spirit is… peace…”
- Psalm 34:14 – “Seek peace and pursue it.”
- Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep in perfect peace…”
- Colossians 3:15 – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…”
- Hebrews 12:14 – “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone…”
Final Word: Start Where You Are
Peace doesn’t require a pulpit, a platform, or perfection. It just needs you—to show up with humility, grace, and the Spirit of Christ.
In your home, at work, in your conversations—let peace begin with you. This world is fractured—but not finished. It needs More Voices of reason. More Hands of compassion.
More Hearts willing to be still in a storm. You may not be able to change the world. But you can change your world.
One peaceful choice at a time.
One act of reconciliation.
One courageous peace-making moment.
And that might be more powerful than you know.
Whether you are a Christian, of another faith, or still seeking your spiritual path, I’m glad you’re here. If this message resonated with you, please share, reflect, or reach out. Let’s support each other on the journey toward wholeness—in mind, body, and spirit.
Together in grace,
Joseph
Thank you, made me think a lot about myself
Every time I read your blog, I honestly feel a big weight lifted off me, because I feel like I know what to do next to avoid worry and stress in my life. Thank you x