Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Isaiah 55:12 “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Where has peace and joy gone? Have they been taken away? Where does a person find peace and joy? If you are hoping to find a measure of peace by staying tuned into the latest news outlets, I am afraid it will not be found. What will be found is story after story of accidents, wars, hatred, or fear. If you are hoping to find peace by staying tuned into the latest Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts, once again, I doubt you will find it. You may find some semblance of peace in the lives of those who post how wonderful their life is. Many times you will find those who bash this and that and drive division and confusion which leads to no peace or joy. Do you ever wonder why we spend so much time on things that will not bring peace or joy but certainly do bring the opposite? Chasing after peace and joy in what the world offers will leave you empty and wanting.
Paul tells us that peace and joy come through the grace of God by believing in Jesus Christ and it is in this hope we find true peace and joy. It does not mean that we are going to go through this life without trials and troubles but rather, when we do we have hope in the God of all creation, all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present with us, we will find peace and joy that satisfies our souls and is able to make us rejoice and stand firm knowing He is in control. It is when we take our eyes off of Him and place them on things of this world that peace and joy a far from us.