The Fruit of the Peace: Anxiety Choked Out By Peace
by Daniel Burton
Anyone who knows me understands that I tend to be anxious and worry about a great deal of things. I worry about how other people are doing. I worry about my future. I worry about whether or not I will be able to make it (without clearly defining what “making it” actually means). For the Spirit filled Christian, peace is expressed through any situation and any time. Yet, anxiety seems to always poke its head into any situation in an effort to choke out the peace of God. The world almost seems to glorify anxiety and romanticize the idea that everyone should reasonably and expectantly be anxious about their current events and situations. Anxiety, however, is not a fruit of the Spirit. It stands contrary to the fruit of peace that lives within the heart of all who have been filled by the Holy Spirit. Where anxiety tries to choke out peace, by the strength of God, peace chokes out all anxiety.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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.
Be Anxious Over Nothing
Anxiety comes when we doubt the peace of God. 
However, the peace of God establishes our eternity based on our right standing with the Father and cannot be shaken. At the core of our anxiety is a fundamental doubt that God is unable to provide what he promises to provide. Anxiety, while a very real issue, stems from a limited view of what God is able to accomplish. It is only when we bring our anxieties before the Lord that true healing can begin. No trouble is immune to the God who conquers death and reigns over life and no issue we have is too big or too small for a savior who is willing to become man for our sake. God brings peace in the face of anxiety and chaos.
When we look at the fullness of God’s grace and the enormity of our promise of everlasting life, we gain perspective on the issues we are seemingly anxious about. It simply isn’t comparable. There is no trouble, trial, or tribulations that is strong enough to remove us from our right standing with Jesus Christ. This is why the scripture exhorts us to be anxious over nothing because nothing can unseat a Savior who has conquered all things. When we have the Holy Spirit inside of us, sent by Christ who intercedes for us to a Father who reigns over us, we have all we need to be at peace. The Triune God declares victory over every source of doubt and anxiousness we may face.
Peace Transcending All Understanding
Peace goes beyond our ability to understand. Our salvation and right standing with God goes beyond our ability to understand and comprehend. 
Therefore, since peace is rooted in those things, our peace goes beyond what we can understand. Peace can be achieved in the midst of chaos and the world will see the peace it craves while not understanding it given the circumstances. We do not need to be anxious about our future or our provision. Christ holds both securely on His hands.
As Jesus faced the literal storms crashing down against the boat, Christ did not panic or descend into chaos or anxiety. Doing so would not make sense. Christ is King and Victor over all things and no storm, however scary is able to usurp the King of Heaven and Earth. When we rest in the truth and grace of God and in the fullness of His glory, peace chokes out anxiety, not the other way around. The Spirit alive and moving inside of us delivers peace to the surroundings world. Chaos and anxiety cannot rule the day as Jesus is declared the victor. The world will see the peace of Christians and we in turn will point to the prince of peace.
For more in this series, check out The Fruit of the Spirit
