Finding Peace in God's Presence Amidst Chaos
Summary
Today’s focus is on the name of God, Jehovah Shalom—“The Lord is Peace.” The journey begins with the story behind the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul,” written not in triumph but in the depths of loss and sorrow. This hymn, born from tragedy, is a testimony to the kind of peace that defies circumstances—a peace that is not denial, but a defiant trust in God’s presence. This is the same peace revealed in the story of Gideon in Judges 6, where God’s people, after years of oppression and brokenness, finally cry out to Him. God’s response is not immediate deliverance, but a confrontation of their hearts, reminding them of who He is before He addresses their circumstances.
Gideon, an unlikely hero, is found hiding in fear, yet God calls him a “mighty man of valor.” This is not a statement about Gideon’s current reality, but a declaration of what God will make of him. Gideon’s honest questions—“If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened?”—echo the wounded faith many of us carry. God does not rebuke Gideon’s doubts, but assures him of His presence: “I will be with you.” The peace God offers is not the absence of chaos, but His presence in the midst of it. Gideon’s encounter with God leads him to build an altar and name it Jehovah Shalom, even before any victory is won. The peace comes not after the battle, but before it, rooted in the assurance of God’s presence and promise.
Personal testimony underscores this truth: peace is not a feeling to chase, but a person to trust—Jesus Christ. In the midst of life’s storms, whether in a hospital bed or facing overwhelming fear, true peace is found in surrender to Christ. Trusting God does not always remove fear, but it empowers us to act in faith despite it. The call is to shift our gaze from the chaos around us to the God who is with us, grounding ourselves in His word and presence. Ultimately, God gives peace before the battle because, in Christ, the war is already won. We do not fight for victory, but from it, resting in the finished work of Jesus. Jehovah Shalom meets us in our mess, calls us by name, and speaks peace into our deepest fears.
Key Takeaways
- God’s Peace Confronts Our Hearts Before Our Circumstances
Before God delivers us from our external troubles, He often addresses the internal state of our hearts. Like Israel, we may cry out for relief, but God’s first move is to remind us of who He is and what we have forgotten. This is grace: God’s desire is not just to change our situation, but to transform us from within, so that His peace can take root regardless of what surrounds us. [18:14]
- God Sees Our Future, Not Just Our Fear
When God calls Gideon a “mighty man of valor,” He is not describing Gideon’s present reality, but the destiny He has prepared for him. God’s words over us are not limited by our current weakness or fear; He speaks to what He will accomplish in us. Our identity is shaped not by our circumstances, but by God’s promise and presence. [21:45]
- Peace Is a Person, Not a Feeling
True peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ. In the chaos of life—whether in a hospital room, a financial crisis, or a season of uncertainty—peace is found in surrendering to Jesus, not in waiting for circumstances to improve. Trusting Christ means resting in His sufficiency, knowing that He is with us and for us, even when nothing else makes sense. [30:25]
- Faith Acts Even When Fear Remains
Gideon obeyed God’s call to tear down the altar of Baal, but he did it at night because he was still afraid. Faith is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act in obedience despite it. Trusting God’s peace means moving forward, even when our emotions lag behind, because our confidence is in His faithfulness, not our own strength. [32:34]
- We Fight From Victory, Not For It
Gideon built an altar to Jehovah Shalom before any battle was won, because God’s promise was already secure. In Christ, our justification and victory are settled; we face life’s battles knowing the outcome is in God’s hands. This assurance frees us from striving and anxiety, allowing us to walk in peace that surpasses understanding, anchored in the finished work of Jesus. [42:04]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[02:10] - The Story Behind “It Is Well With My Soul”
[06:45] - Introducing Jehovah Shalom
[08:30] - Scripture Reading: Judges 6:1-24
[13:32] - Encouraging the Next Generation
[15:00] - The Cycle of Judges and Israel’s Brokenness
[18:14] - God’s Discipline and Grace
[20:00] - Gideon: The Unlikely Hero
[21:45] - God’s Call and Gideon’s Honest Doubt
[25:05] - Gideon’s Encounter with the Angel of the Lord
[27:07] - The Meaning of Jehovah Shalom
[28:08] - Peace in the Midst of Chaos
[30:25] - Personal Testimony: Finding Peace in Crisis
[32:34] - Faith in Action Despite Fear
[35:27] - The Story of the Sleeping Child and Trust
[39:58] - Shifting Our Gaze to God’s Word
[42:04] - Peace Before the Battle: Victory in Christ
[44:37] - Communion and Reflection
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: Jehovah Shalom—The Lord is Peace
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### Bible Reading
Judges 6:1–24 (ESV)
[Read aloud as a group or individually.]
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### Observation Questions
1. According to Judges 6:1–6, what specific hardships were the Israelites facing under Midianite oppression?
2. When the angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, what title does he use to address him, and why is this surprising? (Judges 6:12)
3. What is Gideon’s initial reaction to God’s call, and what questions does he ask? (Judges 6:13)
4. In the sermon, what does the pastor say about when and why Gideon builds an altar and names it Jehovah Shalom? [25:05]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does God send a prophet to Israel before sending a deliverer? What does this reveal about God’s priorities in addressing Israel’s situation? [18:14]
2. The angel calls Gideon a “mighty man of valor” while he is hiding in fear. What does this suggest about how God sees us compared to how we see ourselves? [21:45]
3. The pastor says, “Peace isn’t a feeling to chase. It’s a person to trust.” How does this change the way we think about peace in difficult circumstances? [30:25]
4. Gideon obeys God’s command to tear down the altar of Baal, but does so at night because he is afraid. What does this teach us about the relationship between faith and fear? [32:34]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon began with the story behind “It Is Well With My Soul,” written in the midst of tragedy. Have you ever experienced a time when God’s peace met you in the middle of loss or chaos? What did that look like for you? [06:45]
2. God confronted Israel’s hearts before changing their circumstances. Is there an area in your life where you are asking God to change your situation, but He might be wanting to address something in your heart first? How can you invite Him into that process? [18:14]
3. The angel called Gideon by a new identity before he saw it in himself. Are there labels or limitations you’ve accepted about yourself that God might want to redefine? What promise from God do you need to hold onto this week? [21:45]
4. The pastor shared about finding peace in the hospital during a life-threatening illness. Is there a current “storm” in your life where you need to surrender control and trust Jesus as your peace? What would surrender look like in that area? [30:25]
5. Gideon acted in faith even while he was still afraid. Is there something God is calling you to do that you’ve been putting off because of fear? What is one small step of obedience you can take this week, even if you’re still afraid? [32:34]
6. The pastor talked about “doom scrolling” and the need to shift our gaze from chaos to God’s Word. What is one practical way you can refocus your attention on God’s presence and promises this week? [39:58]
7. Gideon built an altar to Jehovah Shalom before any victory was won, trusting in God’s promise. How can you practice gratitude or worship “before the battle”—before you see the outcome—in your current circumstances? [42:04]
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Close in prayer, asking God to reveal Himself as Jehovah Shalom in each person’s life this week.
Devotional
Day 1: God’s Peace in the Midst of Chaos
Even when life is chaotic and uncertain, God’s peace is available to us through His presence.
Gideon’s story in Judges 6 shows us that God’s peace is not dependent on our circumstances being calm or perfect. Gideon was hiding in fear, his people were oppressed, and the land was devastated, yet God met him right there and declared, “Peace be to you. Do not fear, you shall not die.” This peace was not the result of victory or resolution, but the result of God’s presence stepping into the mess. The Lord is peace—Jehovah Shalom—and He offers Himself to us in the middle of our struggles, not just after they’re over. [27:07]
Judges 6:22-24 (ESV):
Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
Reflection: Where in your life do you feel surrounded by chaos or fear, and how can you invite God’s presence into that very place today to experience His peace?
Day 2: Peace Is a Person, Not a Feeling
True peace is not a fleeting emotion but is found in trusting Jesus Christ Himself.
Many of us chase after a feeling of peace, hoping that if we can just fix our circumstances or calm our anxieties, we’ll finally feel at rest. But the peace God offers is not a mood or a temporary escape—it’s a relationship with Jesus. When we surrender our fears and uncertainties to Him, we find a peace that holds steady even when everything else is shaking. Like Gideon, we may still feel afraid, but choosing to trust and obey God in the midst of fear is what it means to trust the Person of peace, not just the idea of it. [32:34]
Isaiah 26:3 (ESV):
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are waiting to “feel” peaceful before you act, and how might you step forward in faith today, trusting Jesus even if the feeling hasn’t come yet?
Day 3: The Presence of Christ Changes Everything
Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of Jesus in the midst of it.
Gideon’s encounter with the angel of the Lord reminds us that God meets us right where we are, even in our hiding places and moments of weakness. The story of the little girl sleeping through turbulence because her father was the pilot is a powerful picture: our peace is rooted in knowing who is in control. Jesus is our pilot, and His presence is what calms our hearts, not the absence of storms. When we shift our focus from our problems to our Savior, we find a peace that surpasses understanding. [35:58]
John 14:27 (ESV):
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Reflection: When you feel anxious or overwhelmed, what practical step can you take today to shift your focus from your circumstances to the presence of Jesus?
Day 4: Refocus Your Gaze on God’s Promises
Lasting peace is found when we turn our attention from distractions to God’s Word and His faithfulness.
It’s easy to get caught up in the noise of the world—doom scrolling, worrying, and seeking answers everywhere but God. But true peace comes when we intentionally refocus our gaze on God’s promises, grounding ourselves in His truth. Spending time in Scripture, prayer, and worship, even for a few minutes each day, can recenter our hearts and remind us of who God is and what He has done. When we look to Him first, we find the peace our souls are longing for. [39:58]
Psalm 119:165 (ESV):
Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
Reflection: What is one daily habit you can change this week to spend less time on distractions and more time grounding yourself in God’s Word?
Day 5: We Have Peace Because the Victory Is Already Won
God gives us peace before the battle because, in Christ, the war is already won.
Gideon built an altar and called it “The Lord is Peace” before he ever saw victory over his enemies. In the same way, we can rest in the assurance that Jesus has already secured our victory—over sin, death, and every battle we face. We don’t fight for victory; we fight from it. Our peace is rooted in the finished work of Christ, and no matter what challenges come, we can walk in confidence knowing our future is secure in Him. [43:01]
Romans 5:1 (ESV):
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Reflection: What battle are you facing right now, and how does knowing that Jesus has already won the ultimate victory change the way you approach it today?
Quotes
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