The Other Three Sixteens: Finding God's Love in ScriptureSample

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV) - “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”

The “Lord of peace” is a beautiful description of Christ. His peace is characterized by calm, a soothing confidence, and an inner quiet that comes from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, God handles the circumstances that cause turmoil, stress, and worry- just like He calmed the storm in Mark 4. But, amazingly, the Lord can give us peace even when the storm rages around us. Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7 that instead of giving into anxiety, we need to talk to God and focus on gratitude for our blessings, then the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. We can’t create this peace on our own; it is a gift from the Lord. 

The world can fall apart around us, but God offers to cover us with supernatural peace. Because He keeps His promises and provided peace in the past, we can trust Him to continue to quiet our anxious souls no matter what circumstances torment us. No crisis is too extreme and no situation out of control for the God who holds the whole world in His capable hands. He loves us so intensely that He refuses to stand by and do nothing while we cry in anguish. The God of love envelopes us with overwhelming peace, comforting our anxious souls with great compassion.