Peace and Confidence that Worldly People Envy

We all want peace.

The kingdom of the world has its version, as does the Kingdom of the Word. Only one can satisfy our deepest longings.

In this post I will examine:

The world’s peace: its four marks and its six promises.
I will also outline the three characteristics of true peace which empowers a man with the confidence to rise above the temptation to bow down to the world.
I will give you a sure-fire method to determine from which of the two fountains—the world or the Word— you are drinking from?

Our Lord Jesus makes a vital distinction between the peace He offers and the peace that the world offers.

He says, “My peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives do I give to you (John 14:27).

Which raises the question:
What is the peace that Our Lord Jesus gives? …and what type of peace does the world promise us?

St. Thomas Aquinas commenting on this scripture passage outlines the four marks of worldly peace:

Temporal: It never endures.

External: It is only a façade; it is not born from within.

Deceptive: It has appeal, but ultimately is hallow and empty.

Illusive: You think you possess it only for it to escape you.

Prior to 2010 the teenage suicidality and depression rate was level.
Post 2010 it has increased sharply.
What happened?
In 2010 Instagram went live.

Comparing themselves to others in the social media space, women especially suffer from depression, anxiety, and suicidality.

I personally know women, formerly riddled by depression, anxiety and hopelessness, who dropped social media, and are now depression and anxiety free.

The world promises 6ps:

Prestige: Human honors and accolades.

Prominence: To be popular, famous, well-known.

Power: The ability to direct and manipulate people and situations for one’s benefit.

Profit: Security in wealth.

Possessions: Status derived from what we own.

Pleasure: The comfort that eclipses all suffering and pain.

Regardless as to how much of the six ps one has, he never obtains the seventh P—Peace.

Ask any alcoholic, heroin addict, gambler, porn addict, financial investor, who wants more money, or YouTuber who wants more subs and views…it is never enough.

Why? Because God created the human soul for the infinite.
It is impossible that a creature can satisfy a heart that is made for its Creator.

Jesus says, “In the world you will have distress” (John 16:33).
Notice that seeking the world and its six promises, far from affording peace, are the cause of distress, anxiety, depression, envy, sadness and greed.
In a word: distress.

Often the more we have, the more we worry about losing it.
Fear of loss causes distress.
Fear of not obtaining the “more” that we do not possess instills distress.

But Jesus’ peace has three qualities that the world’s peace cannot afford:

Internal: From the depth of the soul… because God dwells therein.

External: It manifests itself in our behavior

Eternal: It will never end; regardless of the threat of persecution, suffering and death, it endures.

I personally knew a woman who buried three of her nine children.
Had a son possessed by a demon.
Her husband died of cancer prior to their 50th anniversary.
She was a two-time cancer survivor…
And paradoxically, she had an undeniable joy and peace.

Why do those who appear to have it all seem so joyless?
Yet those who love Christ and live according to his Word—even amidst suffering—have unshakeable peace?

The evil one assaulted Jesus with the temptation, “Turn these stones into bread.” (See Matthew 4:3).
It is as though the devil was saying, “But if you, Jesus, cannot prove yourself by preforming that miracle, bow down to me and I will give you kingdoms of the world.”

In other words, the devil goads Jesus to: “prove yourself.”
Satan and the world constantly goad us: “prove yourself.”

The evil one and the world say, “You are not enough.”
And “If you come to the realization that you are not enough, simply do it my way (bow down to my ways) and you can have and be more.”

The evil one tempts us to bow down to him.
To reject the Word’s counsel.
To appeal to the world’s six promises.
The devil convinces us to do it (whatever it is that you desire) his way and the world’s way….and you will have happiness.

Yet the more we have of the world, the less we become ourselves.

Satiated with the world, we continue to lack the peace of knowing that we are a chosen son of God the Father—and that we are lovable for who we are and not for what we have or have achieved.

Like Jesus, when we know our identity as a son of God the Father, we no longer succumb to the temptation to prove anything to anyone.
God is sufficient.

When God is “enough” for us, we have a peace and confidence that the world envies.

The word confidence is comprised of the two Latin words: con, which means with, and fide, which means faith.
The worldly man’s confidence is derived from himself, and therefore it is never enough, for he knows that he is limited.
Therefore, he feels like an imposter.
The man of the Word knows that with faith in God and His Son, He can have the relationship with the Father that the Son has…
and because of this con-fide -he walks with God in faith, confident that God in him, will be victorious over the world.