The Art of Living in Biblical Peace: A Book Review of The Path to Peace

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As a student, I loved math. Once I learned a concept, I could follow the process and calculate the right answer. The task involved no guesswork. I simply followed the steps, repeated the process, and arrived at the answer.

I still love formulas. When I face a problem, I want reliable step-by-step instructions that will lead to my desired outcome.

I don’t want to waste time reinventing solutions that others have already discovered. I’d prefer to replicate their work, solve the problem, and move on quickly.

In many facets of life, a formula approach works wonders. Finding an already well-defined process for meal planning, decluttering, finishing a work project, or homeschooling my children saves me time, energy, and money.

It’s no wonder I try to find formulas in my Bible too.

You probably already know this, but I’ll say it anyway.

There aren’t formulas for living the Christian life.

As much as I’d love to open my Bible and find flow charts and step-by-step instructions, they just aren’t there. God operates in much more wondrous and mysterious ways.

Living a life of biblical peace is less like stepping through well-defined instructions and much more like a messy art project.

The path to peace

Ann Swindell’s newest book, The Path to Peace, doesn’t prescribe formulas, habits, or routines. Instead, the book focuses our attention on God, the sole source of our peace, and gives us examples of what the journey can look like.

Ann Swindell's newest book, The Path to Peace, doesn't prescribe formulas, habits, or routines. Instead, the book focuses our attention on God, the sole source of our peace, and gives us examples of what the journey can look like. Click To Tweet

Your particular route through life won’t look like mine or Ann’s, but as Christians, the path to peace is always leading us to Jesus.

Speaking for the formula-lovers among us, I admit that I wish I could type in “peace” as my desired destination on Google maps. I’d receive the option of traveling different routes and choosing the quickest one. Along the way, I’d be alerted to heavy traffic or roadblocks on the path ahead.

Yes, it would be efficient, but formula can’t teach us dependence on Jesus. The artistic approach to pursuing biblical peace accepts that the path ahead is unknown. This approach relinquishes control of the journey.

The path to biblical peace isn’t about formula it’s about following.

More art than science

Finding and resting in biblical peace is more of an art than a science because we each have to discover it for ourselves. We have to learn to rely on Jesus in our own one-of-a-kind life.

As Ann says in her book, “peace comes from our souls being at rest in God rather than in our circumstances.”

The Path to Peace is a devotional made up of eight sections. Each section focuses on a different biblical character and how God met them with supernatural peace in distress, uncertainty, challenging relationships, and more.

Reading about these biblical figures, I related to their questions and fears. Time and time again, God showed up. He fulfilled his promise to never leave or forsake his people just as he fulfills it today with you and me. And where the presence of the Lord is, there is peace.

Lessons of peace in stories

Throughout the book, Ann interweaves her narrative and shares stories of her struggle with frustration, fear, and unmet expectations.

There are seemingly countless ways the enemy tries to steal away our peace. Rather than attempting to give readers a formula for chasing down peace, Ann gives us stories. She introduces us to biblical characters and infuses their accounts with detail and emotion that bring ancient narratives to life.

Through stories, Ann points readers to this fact again and again: each person’s circumstances are unique, but God, who is the only source of peace, is constant, unchanging, and always present.

Here are some of my favorite passages from The Path to Peace.

Provision

We have peace knowing God provides for us even when his provision looks differently than we anticipated.

“Let me care for you,” I felt like he [God] was saying. “See my hand in this provision, even if it’s not what you expected or wanted.”

The Path to Peace, page 91

Providence

We don’t have to make sense of everything to have peace. We can rest in the knowledge that God knows all, is in control of all, and is working all things together for our good.

When you find yourself in a set of circumstances that don’t seem to make sense or that bring you anxiety and fear, know that God is sovereign… The king of the world is with you, and his plan is working itself out in perfect timing in your life.

The Path to Peace, page 155

Pain

Pain can steal our peace and joy. Even when it seems impossible to feel at peace during a season of pain, the knowledge of God’s redeeming work in us and in the world makes it possible.

The worst that can happen here on earth will be redeemed in and through Christ… he will care for you and provide for you even as you walk through pain.

The Path to Peace, page 160

Plans

We can live lives at peace knowing our futures are held by God. Rather than worrying about reaching our goals or dreams, we can focus our eyes on him and trust in the goodness of his plans for us.

If there is a dream you need to relinquish to the Lord today, take heart. Whatever you may lose here on earth, painful though it may be, is an opportunity to find peace in Christ’s provision, presence, and plan for you. His dreams for us are better than our own.

The Path to Peace, page 206

Linger Longer

What is trying (or succeeding) to steal away your peace today? Maybe a hard decision, a broken relationship, or a nagging worry? God can meet you with peace in the brokenness and chaos of this world. There isn’t a formula for peace. There is only a Person, and your path to follow him will look as unique as you are. The Path to Peace is a helpful, beautiful resource pointing to that Person, Jesus, again and again.

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Looking for more resources to help you cling to the peace of Jesus? Check out these posts:

1. Do you want lasting peace? Start here
2. Jesus is our prince of peace even when life feels anything but peaceful
3. The power of staying present in the presence of God

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*Featured photo by Tim Arterbury on Unsplash