The Need for Peace
True peace isn't found in the absence of the storm—but in the nest hidden behind the waterfall.
Based on insights from Immeasurably More
Photo by Unsplash
In today’s devotional, Ray Stedman unpacks the meaning behind the “fellowship offering” in Leviticus 3:1, which he clarifies is better understood as the peace offering. This isn’t about the peace that comes from being forgiven—peace with God—that comes later through the sin and trespass offerings. No, this is something much more personal and daily: the peace of God.
It’s the kind of peace that brings calm to the soul, even when life is anything but calm. Emotional stillness. Inner quiet. Confidence that God is in control even when everything looks like it’s unraveling. That is what the peace offering symbolizes—a deep, experiential rest in the midst of life’s turbulence.
Stedman beautifully contrasts two images of peace: a serene, moonlit sea versus a stormy waterfall with a nest hidden behind it, where a bird quietly rests. That second image captures biblical peace. Not the absence of chaos, but the presence of Christ within it.
And when we’re missing this peace? We know. Our bodies let us know. Our emotions scream. We squirm with internal restlessness, unable to escape that gnawing tension. But today’s message invites us to remember: this kind of peace is not something we muster up or go hunting for—it’s already available to us in Christ. He is our peace.
Journal Entry in the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My peace is already yours, child. I Myself am your peace, not as the world gives, fleeting and fragile, but as a gift that anchors your heart even when the winds howl. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I have made you lie down in green pastures; I lead you beside quiet waters. When everything around you surges and roars, I remain unshaken within you.
You are hidden with Christ in Me—secure, steady, untouchable by the unrest of the world. The peace I give surpasses understanding, not because it ignores the storm but because it stands unmoved in its midst. I guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. When you set your mind on Me, you walk in perfect peace. You don’t need to look for it as though it is outside you—it flows from My indwelling presence.
Cast your cares upon Me—not to receive peace, but because you already have it. I care for you. I am near. I am not disturbed by what disturbs you. And when you offer up thanksgiving in the middle of it all, you are not trying to get something you lack—you are simply aligning with what is already true. Peace is not a distant mountain to climb. It is a hidden sanctuary in your spirit where I dwell, ever calm, ever present, ever sure.
Let your soul exhale now. Be still and know that I am God.
Scripture References: John 14:27, Psalm 23:2, Colossians 3:3, Philippians 4:6–7, Isaiah 26:3, 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 46:10
My Prayer
Father, I rest in the calm of Your presence—not because the storm has stopped, but because I am sheltered in You. Thank You that Your peace is not a reward for spiritual effort but a gift already placed within me through Christ. I no longer chase quietness; I abide in it. I no longer plead for peace; I live in the One who is Peace. Even when anxious thoughts try to crowd in, I remember that I don’t walk toward peace—I walk with Peace. You’ve settled the matter eternally, and now my heart can finally exhale. Amen.