Finding True Peace: How the Holy Spirit Transforms Our Lives
Have you ever had a meal that changed your life? Perhaps it was a wedding dinner, a graduation celebration, or even that difficult first meal after losing a loved one. In John 14, Jesus shares one of these life-changing meals with His disciples in the upper room, though they likely didn’t realize its significance at the time.
During this meal, Jesus does something unthinkable. The Son of God takes on the role of a servant and washes His followers’ feet. He then tells them that the world will know they are His disciples by how they love one another. But He doesn’t stop there.
What Kind of Peace Does Jesus Offer?
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
When most of us think of peace, we imagine being alone and away from people and problems. But the peace Jesus speaks of is different. It’s the Hebrew concept of “shalom,” being wholly united with both God and others. This peace isn’t about isolation; it’s about relationship.
The world is full of conflict, chaos, and turmoil. Even our families experience this daily. But Jesus offers something different: “I don’t give like the world gives.” He doesn’t hand us a self-help book or tell us to figure it out on our own. Instead, He sends His Spirit to help us remember His teachings and experience His peace.
Is the Holy Spirit Transactional or Relational?
We must be careful not to misunderstand Jesus’ words. When He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commands,” He’s not proposing a transaction. He’s not saying, “If you keep my commands, then I’ll love you.”
The Holy Spirit isn’t transactional; He’s relational. Jesus isn’t making a business deal in a boardroom; He’s sharing a meal with friends in the upper room. He’s saying, “I’m sending you the Holy Spirit so that you can remember what I’ve told you, so that you can have peace, and so that you can love and obey me.”
We often get this backward. We think our love and obedience earn God’s gifts, but the truth is the opposite: we love and obey because we have already received. It’s only by the Spirit dwelling in us that we can truly love and obey.
How Does the Gospel Differ from Self-Help?
Do we sometimes think of the gospel as a self-help scheme? “If you do this, then God will do that”? If that’s our understanding, we’ve missed the point entirely.
The true gospel isn’t “change your life, then come follow Jesus.” It’s “come follow Jesus and watch how He changes your life.” Jesus offers us peace that surpasses understanding. Not as a reward for good behavior, but as a gift that enables our good behavior.
What Power Does Satan Have Over Believers?
Jesus tells His disciples, “The prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me” (John 14:30). This echoes John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
The incredible truth for believers is that since we are hidden in Christ, Satan has no hold on us either. We don’t need to leverage power like the world does; we can leverage peace. When the world says, “Fight harder! Stand your ground!” Jesus says, “Have peace.”
The reason we don’t act like the world in times of difficulty is because we are no longer part of the world. We have been bought and given the Spirit of peace. Through this Spirit, we can overcome conflict and chaos.
What Does a Life Shaped by the Cross Look Like?
There’s a concept in Christianity called the “Cruciform Life,” shaping our lives around the cross of Jesus. This means laying down our lives in love and sacrifice, with an emphasis on our relationship with God and others.
This perfectly aligns with the concept of shalom, being wholly united with God and with others. Jesus demonstrates this when He says about Satan, “He comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (John 14:31).
Throughout the meal, Jesus reminds His disciples to love Him and keep His commandments. But He also promises the Spirit will help them, acknowledging they can’t do it on their own. Our love and obedience to Christ come because of His love, not to earn it.
How Can We Live as Beloved Children Instead of Stressed Slaves?
Francis Chan says, “It is then we can serve God as a beloved child rather than a stressed-out, guilt-ridden slave.” Which describes your experience? Do you feel like a beloved child most days, or do you feel stressed and guilty?
Jesus tells His followers, “I don’t give to you like the world gives. I offer you peace.” This peace enables us to do what the world cannot: truly love and obey God.
How Do We Continue Christ’s Work in the World?
The Holy Spirit living inside us is how we continue Christ’s work of bringing shalom to the world, restoring all things, including our lives and the lives of those around us.
This may seem impossible when we look at the chaos of our world, but Jesus says we will continue His work through the Helper He sends. It’s only by the Spirit dwelling in us that we have peace that surpasses understanding.
As we engage with our neighbors and the world around us, let’s remember that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. That Spirit can certainly bring more peace into our lives and the lives of those around us.
God isn’t worried about the headlines. He’s fully aware of what He’s doing. And He may be looking at us, wondering what we’re doing about the chaos around us.
Our business isn’t to change governments or solve international crises. Our business is to love the people right in front of us, our family members, spouses, children, and neighbors. How can we love them better? How can we ensure that God’s peace is present in their lives?
That’s how we change the world: one relationship, one meal, one moment of peace amidst the turmoil and chaos.
Life Application
This week, consider how you might leverage peace rather than power in your relationships. The Holy Spirit empowers us to bring God’s shalom into chaotic situations, but we must be willing to let Him work through us.
Ask yourself:
- In what areas of my life am I trying to earn God’s love rather than responding to it?
- Where do I need to experience more of God’s peace this week?
- Who in my life needs to experience God’s peace through me?
- How can I better remember and apply Jesus’ teachings through the help of the Holy Spirit?
Remember, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. You have been given everything you need to live a life of peace and to share that peace with others. Will you let the Spirit of God bring you to a deeper love and obedience to Him today?