Shopping, decorating, cooking, and planning—with Christmas time rounding the corner, peace may not be the first thing on our minds.

Don’t get me wrong. The words Love, Joy, and Peace are very prominent this time of year. Christmas decorations with attractive words and sayings are displayed in every direction. We all have seen them: “Peace on Earth,” “Peace Be with You!” “Wishing you peace and joy!”  Even with all of the spirited reminders, I rarely stop and consider Jesus as our Prince of Peace and what that really means.

In Isaiah 9:6 the prophet tells us that a Child is going to be born and that He will be our Prince of Peace and that the peace He brings will have no end.

When I was meditating on the Lord as my Prince of Peace, I looked up the word peace and it was defined as “stillness, or freedom of the mind from distraction and anxiety.” The word was said to be synonymous with tranquility and serenity. I thought about those things in my life and whether or not I was free of distraction and anxiety, or defined by them.

The truth is, Jesus is our Prince of Peace and He desires to play an active role as that in our personal lives. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you may have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” How comforting is the last part of that verse? Jesus Christ, our precious Lord, has overcome the very trial in your life—past, present, and future. He keeps us in His perfect peace (see Isaiah 26:3). We are called to pursue peace and allow it to rule in our hearts.

Pursuing that peace often contradicts our natural instincts. We may look for comfort in the things of this world (i.e. friends, spouses, possessions, food, and secular counsel), but the world does not give the peace that our King gives. The world offers a twisted and temporary form of peace. My prayer is that we become women who do not settle for a false sense of security in the world when we have a God that promises us, “a peace that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Allow the Lord to be your Prince of Peace this season.