As Jesus was nearing the end of His time on earth, He told His disciples, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you (John 14:27)." It was not an offer. Jesus said that He gave it. We don't get a choice in the matter. When Jesus departed earth, He left  His Spirit to guide us, teach us, and mold us more into His image. Peace is also mentioned as a fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. In other words, if we follow Jesus, Scripture says that having peace is not optional. If we follow Jesus, we are to be filled with the Spirit, and a byproduct of being filled with the Holy Spirit  is peace.

It is good practice to reflect on our lives and ask ourselves if we are at peace. Am I at peace with others? Are there people in my life that I have strife with (Colossians 3:13)? Are there unresolved conflicts that need my attention?  Am I harboring bitterness and unforgiveness in my heart (Mark 11:25)? If any of those are true, then I am not only at conflict with having the peace of the Spirit,  but I am actually interfering and hindering the work of God in my life. Matthew 5:9 says "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Another question we must ask ourselves about peace is whether or not our own spirit is at peace. Am I content with where I am at and what I have or am I lusting after things of this world? Am I able to accept God's answers, or do I give Him a good spiritual pout when He doesn't cater to my requests?Am I acting in faith as I wait on God to answer my prayers or am I being anxious? Philippians 4:6-7 tells us "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Are we approaching God humbly, with a thankful heart? Are we praying for His will as we navigate the tough circumstances of life?  If not, that might explain why we don't have the kind of peace that goes far beyond our human understanding.

In John 15:8 Jesus tells us that when we bear fruit it shows the  world that we are His disciples and brings God glory. The whole purpose of my life is become more and more  a reflection of God and to bring Him glory.

If Jesus says that when we bear fruit it brings God glory, we better be filling our lives full of spiritual fertilizer so that we bear fruit in abundance. Read and apply God's Word. Live it out. Confess sin that is obstructing  the work of the Holy Sprit so that we can hear God speak to us. Go out and be filled with God's inner peace and live at peace with others.  The fruits of the Spirit work in tandem with one another, but peace is vital to them all.  If we're not at peace with God, we can't be at peace with ourselves or others, and we won't be able to show love and be filled with joy, kindness, gentleness and self control. 
 
As I walk this life, I am learning just how important peace really is. Life is simply no fun when we're not at peace. Every day I am learning to examine my life to search it for things that do not line up with the peace that Jesus promised, and when I do find something, I ask God for His strength and wisdom to deal with it. Dealing with it is not always easy. It's not always pretty. God always comes through, but that looks like me becoming less so that He may become more (John 3:30) That looks like me stepping aside so the Holy Spirit can help me identify areas that need God's intervention so that I can resemble Christ a little more every day. The only time that it is God's will for me to not be at peace is when I am living in opposition to Him, and when that's the case I'll do my best to make adjustments and be obedient. I desire for my life to be filled with a peace that surpasses understanding every moment that I have here on this earth. My moments on earth are too precious to willingly sacrifice the peace Christ guaranteed me for any reason.