The Faith, Peace, & Hope Connection

Hebrews 11:1

We often connect how we see faith and peace. We tend to believe that a peaceful life gives us faith in a caring God. Experience often decries that when we realize faith does not protect us from problems, which deep down we almost always think it should. Jesus said He gives peace to His followers that the world simply cannot give (John 14:27). In essence, peace is accepting things the way they are. Faith on the other hand is believing with confidence that there is so much more to life that we cannot see. Ultimately, it requires the believer to (1) acknowledge that God is real; (2) know that God is in control, even amidst what we perceive as chaos; and (3) that God is working all things together according to His purpose. What gets tough for us in the here-and-now is that God is far more concerned about our character than our comfort. Romans 5:1-5 helps us see the connection between peace and faith then hope and salvation. That progression goes from believing that our troubles build endurance; endurance strengthens character; character develops hope; and hope in salvation (despite the troubles we face) is the faith in God that gives us the peace we need to face the future unafraid. Trust that God fills your heart with the Holy Spirit, which crowds out the room you need to hold on to your troubles, providing the peace the defies whatever it is that comes at you. We all need this faith, peace, and hope connection. God knows this, and promises to give it. Believe Him. Live differently.