Peace Is My Birthrightنموونە

I had no idea I lived life in the fast lane until a doctor pointed out, "I think you may be addicted to stress." At first, his comment offended me. How dare you say that! I'm not addicted to stress. I want less stress! But as the days passed and I pondered what he said, I realized he was right. Busy schedules, constant noise, and relentless rushing from one thing to the next felt normal to me. I didn't know any other way.

Do you long for peace and calm yet rarely seem to find it? You aren't alone. In our world, anxiety and worry seem to be constant companions.

Yet, Jesus promises us a different way. He offers us peace, and not superficial peace like the world gives, but an everlasting, unshakable peace. One the world cannot give, and cannot take away.

Over the next five days, we will explore what it means to receive and live in this peace Jesus freely gave us. And here’s the first thing you need to know: peace isn’t something you achieve. It’s something you’ve already received. As a child of God, peace is your birthright.

What is a Birthright?

Merriam-Webster defines it as a right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth. We read about birthrights in Genesis, where Esau sells his birthright to his twin brother, Jacob, for a cup of stew. Birthrights were prized possessions in the Old Testament.

But what do birthrights mean for us as New Testament believers? Jesus is the firstborn Son of God and therefore He received the kingdom from His Father. That means Jesus has the birthright blessing. And here's the good news, because we are one with Christ, we have inherited this birthright status through Him.

Romans 8:16-17 declares, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ."

Peace Belongs to You

What incredible news! As joint heirs, everything that belongs to Christ now belongs to us, which includes His perfect peace.

Peace is not something we can earn, strive for, or achieve. It is an inherent gift and privilege given to us as adopted children of God. Peace is a part of our identity as followers of Christ.

Peace is Your Birthright!

At the same time, our enemy does not want us to live at peace, and he does everything in his power to prevent it. Whether it's planting lies that we believe and meditate on or keeping us busy, distracted, overwhelmed, or disorganized, his goal is to keep us frazzled and frantic. But we don't have to tolerate this!

We don't have to wait until we have enough money in the bank, obedient children at home, or a put-together life to live in peace. We can have peace, rest, quietness, harmony, and order even in the midst of turmoil.

Peace is possible—right here, right now. Even in the middle of uncertainty, trials, or turmoil we can claim our birthright of perfect peace. We don’t have to live life in the fast lane any longer, we can receive the peace Jesus promised us!

Ask Yourself:

• What are some things in your life that you have allowed to steal your peace?
• How can you remind yourself daily that peace is part of your identity in Christ?