The word, peace, means a state of tranquility or quiet, a state of security and order, freedom for disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions, harmony in personal relations.

How did I find peace in the midst of my grievous cancer chaos?

My husband was facing the end of his battle with renal cell carcinoma, my mother had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, and my father had been told he had colon cancer. That dreadful disease and all it entailed with worry and care giving did not give me peaceful thoughts, a sense of security, order in my daily living, nor freedom from disquieting emotions.

Peace definitely did not just fall down upon me. I had to look for it; or else, I had to continue allowing the uproar of worry and fear into my mind and spirit.

“Calmness comes in the midst of chaos, by spending time with God and reading His Word.”

I don’t know if this sentence belongs to me or someone else. I have it written in my journal. But it is truth. When my heart and emotions are in turmoil from the circumstances around me, I must make a priority to spend some quiet time to read the Bible, God’s words to me. Then, I find calmness and peace. He is a shield around me where I can find peace.

“But Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory and the One who lifts my head. I was crying to the Lord with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain.” Psalm 3:3-4

During the Christmas season, many of us read “the Christmas story” found in Luke 2 in the Bible. I cannot say how many times I have read this chapter in my lifetime…so many, many times. Because God’s Word is living, verse 14 “jumped” out at me this past week.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (NASB)

The KJV says it this way: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This version is the one most of us, and the world, have heard throughout our lives.

So, which one is the right translation? Good will or with whom He is pleased? What does either one really mean?

I turn to my Strong’s concordance (without which I could never understand the Bible since I don’t know Greek or Hebrew and because the English language is quite limited) to find out the original meaning. The two terms in the NASB and KJV are the same Greek word, eudokia (from the two words, eu and dokeo). “Eu” means “to be well off, prosper. “Dokeo” means to be of opinion, think, suppose, seems good to [me]. So, eudokia means:

1. Will, choice (good will, kindly intent, benevolence

2. Delight, pleasure, satisfaction (with the marking of a relationship of possessor or source) of the thing that pleases

3. Desire (for delight in any absent thing easily produces longing for it)

God chooses to delight and have good will in the thing that pleases Him.

What is that thing that pleases Him? How do we have peace and good will?

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me [Jesus] you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

For He Himself [Jesus] is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace. Ephesians 2:14-15

The ONLY way to have peace and good will is to be pleasing to God. We can only do this by believing that Jesus, God’s Son, is my Savior who paid my price for my sins.

Peace is not assured for ALL men, but only those pleasing to God who are the objects of His good pleasure.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Roman world was experiencing tranquility throughout the nation. However, the angels who announced the birth of our Christ proclaimed a deeper and more lasting peace than just tranquility in our circumstances. They were telling the shepherds, and us, about a peace that soaks into our minds and souls that is only made possible by Jesus.

What did the shepherds do after they heard the announcement from the angels? They went straight to Bethlehem to see this thing!

For peace in my anxious, grief-stricken, painful days, I must go straight to where Jesus is to see “this thing.”

I must go straight to His Word to see Him.

I must go straight to conversations in prayer with Him to see Him.

I must go straight and give glory to Him to see Him.

I must go straight to where Jesus is to see Him.

May you find true peace and eudokia in our world today. May you KNOW that you are pleasing to God.