Well, here we are at the very center of what it means to be authentically Christian. Jesus told His disciples "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27) Jesus is a Man of Peace, but peace isn't the absence of conflict or trouble, but an assurance that even in the middle of that very same conflict or trouble there will be all I will need to weather any storm.

The peace Jesus offers all of us is not some system of compromise and negotiation, but an inner peace that is based on the unwavering knowledge that God loves me and will provide me with all I truly need to fulfill the tasks He has set before me. This isn't the peace the world gives with its compromised principles and its temporary truces. No, this is an eternal peace that doesn't wait for the blessings of heaven to begin affecting my life today.

This very real experience of peace in the here and now is the birthright of all sincere followers of Jesus Christ. It is the "norm" for Christians, not the exception.

In a very real way, this peace that Jesus offers us all is a foretaste to the eternal peace He has promised us in heaven and that really makes sense if we are truly given eternal life. If its really eternal it works backwards into our lives today as well as forwards into eternity.

This foretaste of heaven is meant to transform us now!

This peace transforms us now by freeing us from fear. There is nothing as debilitating to true spiritual maturity like fear. Fear freezes us into inaction. But Christ gives peace and this peace liberates us from our fears. As we are given this peace that passes understanding, we can see how God has worked in our lives to provide for us all the grace we will ever need in all kinds of circumstances. I get asked many times how this or that person could face the traumas they have faced with faith, and the answer is always the same: God gives us the grace we need for the moments we need it. That brings real peace.

This peace transforms us now by focusing our attention. When we are experiencing the peace Christ gives, we come to realize that our whole life is dependent on the grace of God. He is our sustainer and provider. The Psalmist said "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." (Psalm 20:7) When we focus on God as our true source for help and happiness, we are at rest in any situation, because He will always be by our side.

And finally, this peace fills us with hope. There is nothing like a peaceful soul to bring a sense of hope for the future. When our spirits are filled with turmoil and dread the future looks like a menacing place, but being filled with the peace of Christ allows me to face my future with the confidence that God knows where I am and He cares for me. In fact, He loves me more that even I myself know how to love.

Are you filled with the peace of Christ today?

Fr. Christopher Metropulos is founder, host, and executive director of the Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) and the Come Receive The Light national Orthodox Christian radio program (www.myocn.net). He is pastor of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he and his wife Georgia are raising their six children.