Talking About Advent: Peace

The second week of Advent focuses on the topic of peace. Like many things in the Bible, peace builds upon what we learned and talked about last week, hope. Peace, put most simply, is security in the hope in God’s promises. When a believer truly trusts deeply in God’s promise and the power of them, they gain a peace that surpasses all understanding. This peace covers any worries, overwhelms any fears, and stills any anxiety. When someone struggles with anxiety, the core issue is believing with their whole being in the security of God’s promises. Let’s examine three passages in Scripture.

The first is Philippians 4:6-7, which goes over anxiety and how to combat it: “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.” [emphasis added] It starts with a command not to be anxious, and Paul explains that prayer is how we gain God’s peace.

Peter also cites prayer as the source of peace. “Casting all your anxieties on Him [God], because He cares for you” [I Peter 5:7]. God cares deeply for each of us, and He wants to hear our anxieties. Not only that, but when we feel anxious we are to cast it upon Him and take in its place the assurance of God’s promises.

Jesus in His parting discourse to the disciples speaks about the power of the Holy Spirit; He says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 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.” [emphasis added] (John 14:26-27)

Children especially need to hear about how to combat anxiety and fear. For the young child being assured of God’s promises will help to combat nightmares. As your child grows, more and more things will cause anxiety and fear; it’s important for them to have a foundation to stand upon before those things take place. Always begin with comforting and calming your child, making sure the child knows that anytime they are afraid or anxious about something, they can always talk about it with you. After this, explain to them that while you might not always be able to help, God always wants to hear about what’s happened; assure them that God wants to help him or her. Children learn by example, so for the first while, pray with them when they are anxious or afraid to show them how to pray and how easy it is to talk with God. Encourage them to pray too but avoid having them repeat what you pray. It is better to guide them with phrases such as, “Tell God what’s bothering you,” or “Ask God to help you with your fear”. This helps the child learn how to talk directly with God; it builds confidence in them about praying. Another helpful thing to teach children is that hope in God’s promises is the key to peace or key for them to not be afraid or anxious. It always helps children to memorize Scripture so they can remember it when they are feeling anxious or are afraid. One of my favorite calming passages that contain the promise of God’s protection and security is Psalms 23:

There are many verses of promise of God’s sovereignty, His goodness, His love, and His faithfulness. Any of these types of promises can help a child find peace in the security of God’s promises. A good Biblical story which covers this topic is the story of Joseph in Genesis. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, assaulted by Potiphar’s wife, framed for assaulting her, and imprisoned. However, the Bible tells us that Joseph each time something bad happened, he remained faithful to God, trusting completely in God’s promises. He eventually saw great blessings because he remained faithful, and by him, his family was saved from famine. Take time to remind yourself of God’s peace He offers and guide your child by your example.