“And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth, I said
For hate is strong
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men”
This Christmas carol has ministered to my soul in this particular Christmas season. With the uncertainties surrounding Covid, social unrest, and the political fanaticism prevalent today, I find myself repeating the above sentiments. Looking at the human condition leads to despair. Even when we find something good that “restores our faith in humanity,” all too quickly we are reminded why we lost faith in the first place.
I am reminded of the story of Peter walking on water (found in Matthew 14:22-33). At first, when his eyes are on Christ, he is making strides without a hitch. Many faith journeys can be similar—at first, we are so enamored by Christ’s invitation to join Him that we don’t see much else. We take leaps of faith and draw close to Him. But, just like Peter, we get distracted by the waves around us. Granted, there is a storm all around us. It’s dangerous—a distraction that begs for our attention. Sickness hits close, unemployment looms ahead, friends or family are fighting with us. The struggle is real.
But when we focus on the storm around us, we can easily be dragged down with it. Life and the problems that come along with it do deserve our attention, but the problem comes when we take our eyes off Christ. As in the song, we can be filled with despair when our focus is on the world around us. Are we focusing on the waves or are we focusing on Jesus?
The grace in this story is what happens when Peter falls. Jesus doesn’t give up on Peter when he gets distracted; He doesn’t abandon Peter to the storm. No, He comes to Peter and pulls him out, and He does the same for us. When we lose sight of all hope, Jesus is there, reaching to pull us out of the depths.
“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail
The right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men”
Thank God the peace He offers us isn’t dependent upon our situations. It’s a peace that surpasses our understanding—something we have in the midst of suffering because we know that Christ is victorious over darkness. The Christmas bells in the song act as a reminder of that victory.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
When we focus on Christ’s redemptive power, we can be led through the darkest valleys and come out victorious. Our peace comes from knowing that Love wins in the end. When we live in that peace, we become like the Christmas bells in the song, a reminder to others of the hope that is found in Christ Jesus. We don’t need to restore peoples’ hope in humanity; we need to point people to the fulfillment of that hope.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5
Practically speaking, how do we focus on Christ when the world around us is in chaos? Prayer and thanksgiving.
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Peace is our God-given protective barrier, guarding our hearts and minds as we walk through life. We just need to seek Him and unload our burdens to receive it.
*Lyrics from ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,’ based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, ‘Christmas Bells’
*All verses shared are from the English Standard Version of the Bible with my own emphasis added.