“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
Peace is the next part of the Fruit of the Spirit in these verses. Peace is defined as tranquility or freedom from disturbance. Having peace is having the ability to remain calm no matter when is occurring around you. Being peaceful or having peace starts with a mind set and can occur by doing certain things, such as appreciating nature, taking care of yourself, getting enough sleep, and living in the present moment. These are all secular ways to find peace and develop the habit of being peaceful.
There is an even better way to grow in the ability to be at peace though, and that is to be connected to God. The mindset of peace can be contagious and God is filled with peace, therefore being close to Him allows us to learn what being at peace feels like and how to practice it. For example, Jesus was at peace in the boat during the storm as it is recorded in Matthew because in His mind, He knew Who was in control.
Remembering that God is in control and surrendering to Him so that He can lead us into His will is a wonderful way to be at peace. As we develop a peaceful mindset, we see other areas of the Fruit of the Spirit present themselves, such as joy and love. It is impossible to be angry, the opposite of showing love, and peaceful at the same time.
Being at peace can be difficult because as humans we want some sense of control over what is going on around us. We want control over our future because the unknown is scary. However, when we accept that God is in control and that God only wants what is best for us, then being able to release our grip on the idea of control and practice being at peace can be achieved and is very fulfilling.
How is your peace? Are you connected to God, the most peaceful being there is? I do want to warn you though, when you ask God to help you develop peace, be aware that situations that are not peaceful will begin happening in your life because you cannot develop peace without stress. Anyone can be peaceful if everything is always going exactly as it is suppose to go, the development of peace happens when everything is not going the way it should. However, being at peace by being connected to God is the best way to live and worth developing this part of the Fruit of the Spirit.