In a yoga class, participants are encouraged to empty their minds and become “void minded.”*
We often think of the word “peace” as a state of mind. My friend Merriam-Webster defines it as a state of tranquility or quiet. But that’s not how the peace of God works. Paul writes in Philippians: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”1 The word “guard” means to protect from danger and make secure. So, peace is an active agent here, tirelessly protecting the heart. It is the soldier on duty, who is strong and powerful and will defend the heart at all cost. And then Paul writes in Colossians: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.”2 The word “rule” means exerting and exercising authority and control. That sounds like the opposite of peace! Peace is actually in charge!
There is nothing passive about the peace of God reigning in our hearts. God’s peace is not only in charge of our hearts, it protects our hearts. But if that is true, then why do our hearts break? Why do we feel duress? Because peace is not automatically ours when we become believers. It is the result of an action. In order for the peace of Christ to rule, we must “put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”3 Then we need to allow God to rule. It’s a conscious effort on our part to let Christ work his peace in our lives. Paul also writes that we must “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”4 Then, the peace of God can guard our hearts. Prayer and praise to God initiate God’s peace.
The peace of God is not the absence of strife, it is the presence of God—which is quite powerful. The peace of God gives us the strength to stand up against any foe. Jesus said, “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.”5 The peace of the world is only available when life is calm. The peace of Christ protects our hearts from being troubled and fearful when life is not.
We serve “the Lord of peace,” who will give us his “peace at all times in every way.”6 When we have faith in God, he, in return gives us his peace. And his peace is perfect. His promise? “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”7 But note that peace comes because our mind is fixed on God and it is fixed on God because we know we can trust him.
On multiple accounts, scripture tells us that ‘“There is no peace,’ declares the Lord, ‘for the wicked.’”8 The wicked can only rely on the peace that the world gives, which, at best, results in being “void minded.” The peace of God, however, gives us the capacity to be “filled with all the fullness of God.”9 The peace of God leaves us full. The peace of the world? As promised by Patanjali, it leaves us empty.
“May the God of peace be with you all.”10
1Philippians 4:7 2Colossians 3:15 3Colossians 3:14 4Philippians 4:6 5John 14:27 61 Thessalonians 3:16 7Isaiah 26:3 8Isaiah 48:22 9Ephesians 3:19 10Romans 15:33 *Feuerstein, Georg. “Cultivating the Opposite Thought.” Home, Yoga International, 16 June 2015, yogainternational.com/article/view/cultivating-the-opposite-thought-the-most-challenging-inversion-in-your-pra/.
