John·Prayer and stillness·33 of 34
Not as the world giveth
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27 · King James Version
There is a peace that is not the pause between anxieties. It is given, and it is his.
An inner reading
The world gives peace as a condition: when the news is good, when the room agrees with you, when the threat steps back. That peace leaves when the condition leaves. Christ distinguishes his peace from that economy. It is left with you — placed in your keeping — and it is given, not earned by arranging the outer life into silence.
A troubled heart and a afraid heart are the two ways the mind refuses the gift: by churning, and by contracting. The saying does not shame either. It offers a different ground. Metaphysically, this peace is the felt tone of oneness with the Father, available in the same hour as trouble. You do not have to deny the trouble to stop using it as your atmosphere.