Bucket Full of Grace

Peace is a gift from God: Peace being a fruit of the spirit is interesting because the word can be used as a political term referring to entire countries or as a very personal word referring to an inner state of being.  I think that it is obvious that as a fruit of the Spirit the Bible is using this second meaning of the word peace and throughout the New Testament we can see that peace does not mean safety.  Peace does not mean that there aren't people deliberately trying to destroy you.  Many, if not all, of the writers of the New Testament were being persecuted for their beliefs and the early church was not at peace in the sense of the opposite of being at war.  However, it shows God's Spirit dwelling inside of you when you have inner peace in the middle of this type of persecution.  When you lose your job the fruit of the Spirit is still peace.  When loved ones die the fruit of the Spirit is still peace.  When people hate you and slander you saying all sorts of lies about