Our family has relied a great deal on the peace of God to see us through some seemingly un-peaceful situations in the last year and a half.  The scene that comes to mind when I think back on where we've been (and where we're at currently even) is the one famous "walking on water" account from the New Testament.  The disciples just witnessed the miraculous "feeding of five thousand" with only five small loaves of bread and two little fish.  It seems kind of silly to us that they would soon after be frightened by a man walking on the water, but they were.  As you know, Peter wanted to walk on the water too and he did, until he took his focus off of the Prince of Peace and put it on the wind and the waves.

The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"  Matthew 8:27

By the time Peter walked on the water, Jesus had already calmed the winds and the waves in another incident.  And yet, despite the knowledge that the same Jesus stood on the top of the water with him now, he fixated on the law of nature rather than the law of faith.  He didn't have to understand how walking on water was accomplished, he just had to first, step out in faith and second, rest in the knowledge that Jesus is who He says He is.  Notice, however, that Christ didn't panic.  He remained completely at peace during the whole ordeal...why?  Because He knows who rules...not just in His life, but over all the Earth. 

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." C.S. Lewis

This is the kind of peace that the Prince of Peace brought in the face of five thousand hungry men; in the boat during the storm; walking on the water;  when learning of Lazarus's death;  while praying in the garden for the cup to pass;  as Judas betrayed Him and finally...

"...when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit."  Matthew 27:50

Because Christ died and rose again, 1 Corinthians tells us that the Holy Spirit lives in us as believers.  We find in Romans 15:13 and Galatians 5:22 that we have access to this incomprehensible peace that Christ displayed while on the Earth!!  This peace isn't automatic though.  I actually like what Beth Moore says about this topic in Living Beyond Yourself.  "The increase of peace accompanies the increase of Christ's government."  Basically, the extent to which Christ reigns in our lives will dictate the amount of true peace we will experience....no matter the circumstances.  Psalm 46:10 tells us to "Be still and know that I AM God."  Isn't there peace in that knowledge...that He is God and He can be trusted with Lordship over our lives.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts..." Colossians 3:15a